A small interlude to prove Nikola is sill alive and well... :). Because I missed him too... Keep on reviewing, you make my days with your crazy theories :D.

When Will entered the kitchen that night for dinner, he was surprised to see Helen sitting at Abby's table, sharing what looked like a perfectly healthy meal. He stopped at the door, taking a moment to simply enjoy the peaceful view of the two most important women of his life. When he had found out about the underground network, he had wondered whether to come back to Magnus or go back to his former and oh so simple life. The truth was that even if he wanted to despise her for all she had done to him, for controlling his life from the moment his mother had died on, he had to admit she had told him the truth about one thing: It was all worth it. It had become even clearer that his life was in the Sanctuary network after Magnus' disappearance. He had been depressed and defeated, and when he had realized his office and Abby's flat were under surveillance, he had made his decision: He would find out whatever his former boss had planned, and go on with her work. And he would take Abby with him.

When he had found out Helen was alive, the second thing he had asked her, after an raise, was to get Abby hired. Surprisingly enough, she had granted his request immediately, both for her safety and the Sanctuary's.

"Look who's late for dinner!" Abby sing-sang, spotting him on the threshold.

"And look who's here for dinner!" He retorted with a smug little smile directed at Magnus.
The leader tilted her head, her chin sensibly higher, sign that he had wounded her just enough for her to show defiance. That was small payback.
"I heard someone say Abby was cooking her famous 'Boeuf Bourguignon'. I couldn't resist." She answered, flashing a charming smile at the cook.
" And as you were late, I enjoyed the company."
Will sat down between the two of them and took Abby's hand in his under the table.

"Yeah, sorry about that. Tesla decided to be annoying."

When he felt Helen's curious stare on him, he dismissed the silent question.
"I've got everything under control." He ensured.
He didn't tell her that Nikola had refused to type his last report because he was 'working' on the emergency breakdown of the transporters; task she had given to Henry... He clearly didn't have anything under control.
"Thank you for dealing with him, Will, I don't know what to do about him anymore." Helen explained, neatly folding her napkin.
Will snorted, proceeding to unfold his own napkin. Helen noticed how their moves where exactly opposed. Funny how simple table arrangements could reveal so much about their current neutral status. "Don't tell me you've ever known what to do about him."
For the first time in a long while, he saw an amused smile stretch his boss' lips.
"Am I the only one thinking Tesla is endearing?" Abby intervened, filling Will's plate.
The young man choked and had to drink before he could speak again, but Helen beat him to it:
"I can assure you that the endearing factor fades away after the first century of knowing him." She said in a complicit tone of voice.
"Oh, I see..." Abby whispered.
Will's gaze went from his girlfriend to his boss and back again. They looked like two teenagers gossiping... It felt awkward.
Helen must have seen his expression as she stood up, collected her empty plate and cutlery to put them in the dishwasher, and walked through the door, excusing herself as she had to perform a small surgery on an inmate.
"You seem to be getting along well." Will observed.

"Are you kidding? History had never been so much fun! And I'm not even talking about Churchill's wine." Abby confirmed.
Will felt an alarm go off at the back of his head, and he searched the table, looking for Helen's glass.
"Wine? Did Magnus have wine?"

Abby frowned upon seeing him so tense. He had always been stressed by his job, which was indeed a source of constant stress, but the present situation was wearing him out. His relationship with Helen seemed to depend on the weather, and he was taking the huge responsibility of being the rock of the team by helping them cope with what they had been through. As a result, he slept poorly, and was unable to relax.
"Err... No, she didn't. Wine makes her hands shake. You wouldn't want that to come between her and her work now, would you?" She answered in a now almost perfect English accent. "Why? What's wrong?"
Will sighed, relieved, and wondered how he would prevent his may-be-pregnant employer from drinking, fighting, or flying... But before he could answer Abby's question, Nikola entered the kitchen, making him moan, not thinking he could take any more of him than he already had that day.
"Don't stop on my behalf. There's nothing you can say or do that I haven't already heard or seen." Tesla said, not even throwing a glance at the couple, on his way to the fridge.
With a look, Will silently asked Abby not to discuss the matter further around Nikola. She looked intrigued, and gestured a mild-approving answer, and he knew he would not be free to go unless he told her what was going on.
"I made some Boeuf Bourguignon, do you want some?" She politely asked the scientist.

Will grimaced, not willing to share one of his scarce quiet moments with the man who set his genius to the task of making his working days seem longer. Yet, the vampire might have had some work ethics, as he opened the fridge, disappeared for a short moment in it, and emerged with a pocket of blood, or plasma (the psychologist didn't want to know). He turned to them, as victorious looking as if he had hunted and killed the animal himself.
"I haven't eaten all day. Thank you kids, but I need more proteins than French cuisine can offer." He declared.
"Suit yourself. Could you just... You know? Not do that here?" Will asked.

He had tried to get used to seeing Tesla vamp out to suck on those disgusting pockets... But all attempts were vain. He had come to stand the sight of blood, but the sight of a man drinking such a large amount of it as easily as if it was only soda was absolutely sickening.

"What about Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité, mon cher? Aren't we in a free kitchen?" The vampire protested.
"Ugh... This is why Magnus should really work on a planning for meals..." Will complained as the genius was sinking his elongated teeth in the pocket.
"Oh come on William, am I so disagreeable when you eat with you mouth open?" he answered, his teeth reddened by his first gulp of the liquid.
Abby chuckled whereas her boyfriend looked at them both, slightly offended.

Nikola had a point. The young man had the deeply annoying habit of chewing with his mouth open when he was just out of bed. Nikola knew Helen had noticed: She had shared breakfast once with them, when she had woken up later than usual and had had to delay breakfast until after dealing with an emergency. She hadn't say anything, but they had never seen her again in the kitchen between sunrise and noon, except to refill her cup of tea, proving that her victorian manners still had a firm hold on her.
Finally, Will only rolled his eyes.
"Whatever."
The physicist took a moment to admire Will's defeat before deciding to choose a humble victory, leaving the couple alone.

"You can resume your conversation. If you need me, I'll be in my lab... Eating alone." He declared while disappearing in the hallway.
"Seriously?" Will murmured while Abby was still laughing.
"You should eat, it's going to be cold." She said.
"Yeah, I'll try and keep my mouth shut." He mumbled.

"Not before you tell me what you were about to say before we got interrupted."
"About that... I can't tell you right now. But I sure hope this guy has nothing to do with it." He explained, pointing to where Nikola had vanished into the dark.