Summary: Chase Magnus must travel back to the Sanctuary and to the news that her sister, Ashley, was taken by the Cabal. Reuniting with her family, Chase is about to face her demons… in more ways than one. A/U
Disclaimer: I own nothing of Sanctuary; I'm just a story teller.
Pairing: This is a John/Helen story
Chase stood frozen outside her mother's door. Her hand was raised and ready to knock when she heard two heart beats. They were slow and steady to indicate sleep, but that wasn't what had her taking pause, it was the fact that both hearts were beating as one, though one was a half a second off, they were still as one. Chase realized who was in her mother's room; she backed away and into Henry's chest. Happiness swelled in her chest and her family would soon be reunited.
"I thought we were going to tell your mom?" Henry whispered as his hand came to rest on her stomach, it was reflex as her back came into contact with his chest. Chase tapped a heart rhythm on his hand and held up two fingers.
"There's two heart beats in her room Henry." Chase whispered and signaled Henry to move away. In a few hours she would tell her mother that they found Dana Whitcomb. For now it would be good for her to rest.
Ashley had just come back from her meeting with Squid, who had pretty much told her what she suspected the minute she had seen the bomb, when she saw Chase and Henry hurrying down the stairs. Her sister had her hand in Henry's and they were laughing. The last time Chase and Henry had been laughing together, that Ashley had seen, was a few months before Chase left. And then chase left, Henry had moped around the Sanctuary for weeks. But now they were laughing and bringing happiness into the house once again.
"Hey guys, what's going on?" Ashley asked and looked from Chase to Henry and then back to Chase again.
"Oh, nothing, Henry was being a Techno God and he found Dana Whitcomb." Chase answered, a wicked grin plastered on her face. She let go of Henry's hand and came to stand next to Ashley.
"How did you manage that one Gumby?" Ashley joked
"Oh, wait, what? I'm back to being Gumby again?" Henry turned on Ashley, "But if you must know. I patched her picture through facial recognition software. I managed to catch her passing in front of a store window in New City." Henry said.
"Why would she be that stupid, or bold?" Chase asked. The few times Dana had come to question her she always caught the scent of arrogance. Why would she be stupid now?
"Maybe she doesn't fear for her life yet?" Ashley mused.
"She has to know we have to be looking for her." Chase responded. Only she wondered what they would do once they had her in custody. Would she die? Or would she just disappear? Chase opted for death, but wouldn't mind her to just be gone somewhere far away she couldn't hurt anyone.
"Have you told mom yet?" Ashley turned away from her sister and headed for the stairs, but stopped when Chase grabbed her arm.
"Don't do that, she's sleeping." Chase hurriedly explained. She didn't want her sister to blow a gasket if Chase said that she suspected that their father was in their mother's room.
"She's our mom, she barely sleeps." Ashley tossed back and tried to head up the stairs again only Chase's hand on her arm kept her where she was.
"Yes, but she did have her head cracked open like a cantaloupe. We can tell her in the morning, besides I want to hear about how your meeting went with Squid." Chase steered Ashley away from the stairs and towards the den.
Ashley let her sister change the subject, mainly because she did find out a few things and Chase would have to be told. Plus chase was right, being in an explosion, Helen Magnus needed her rest. Ashley knew her mother wasn't invincible, though at times she liked to believe just that, and she had seen how bad the head wound had been. Before she had teleported away Ashley had seen something in her father's eyes, fear, and she thought that was the one thing she never would see from him. He was after all a notorious killer, Jack the Ripper, and yet he had allowed fear to pour into his eyes; all for her mother.
"So, Ash, what did you hear on the grape vine?" Chase asked as she plopped down on to the couch. She propped her feet on the table and laced her fingers over her stomach. Ashley sighed and sat down next to her sister.
"Squid confirmed what we already suspected. We were set up. Either that Ghoul knew or he was misled."
"You know what? I think someone is trying to kill us." Chase said after taking a moment's pause. She knew it was pointing out the obvious but it was still worth the mention.
"Yeah, you haven't gotten that by now?" Henry pushed Chase's feet off the table so he could sit in front of her.
"I just thought it would be worth mentioning. Besides," Chase sighed and looked at Ashley, "How are we going to tell mom and dad that we found her? I got the feeling that she was subtly telling us to leave the Cabal alone."
"She wasn't telling us to leave them alone. Mom was making sure we knew she was worried. Frankly I agree with you, we should take the fight to them and take care of Dana ourselves." Ashley leaned over and rested her head on Chase's shoulder letting out a huge sigh. Life as a Magnus was an interesting ride. Ashley felt her eye lids getting heavy. Combined with nearly getting blown up and spending an hour talking to Squid, Ashley felt drained. She felt herself slip into sleep at her sister's side.
Chase craned her head to see if Ashley had fallen asleep and she had, Chase wasn't far behind. Being in the explosion and then the blood loss combined with the knowledge that Dana was close to their home, it was enough to make one's mind want to shut down and go to sleep. Since she had gotten here it seemed that was all she was doing lately; sleeping. Chase had never slept so much in the past. One last look to Henry and Chase let her eyes close.
Henry watched as both Ashley and Chase slipped into sleep. A lot had happened and he was surprised that they hadn't passed out. He smiled and left them to sleep on the couch. There were things that Henry had to see to, defenses that had to be upped and he was going to do a more thorough search for Dana Whitcomb. He just wanted to make sure that he had the right location. Shaking his head Henry went back to his lab.
LATER THAT AFTERNOON:
Helen sat in the middle of her bed staring at one of the books on her dresser. John was behind her, his arms around her waist, and his chin resting on her shoulder. She had told him that she didn't want to do this but he used logic on her and subdued her with kisses. Only John knew how to kiss her into submission and she hated that he still had that skill. So, she was now sitting on her bed trying to move a book with her telekinesis. There had been reasons why she had never developed this gift and they all had revolved around John and his betrayal. Yet, here she was now trying to summon her gift.
"You can do this, it's just a thought." John whispered and kissed the side of Helen's neck. He had gotten her to try just by pushing her limits and he knew how to push. He knew what buttons to use and how to aggravate her. John had used her own body against her and secretly he knew she loved it. They had sat here for a good fifteen minutes and Helen had made the book shake but she hadn't moved over to where she sat.
"I know I can do this, I just don't want to." Helen lightly nudged the side of her head with John's. She had work to do, she always had work to do and yet John kept her anchored to the bed as he encouraged her gift. She loved having him sitting behind her, his body molding to hers reminded Helen of the lazy Sunday's they used to share back during their days at Oxford.
The book started to shake again as her concentration turned to anger, anger at herself for not developing this gift sooner, anger at john who encouraged her now, and just anger at the current state of her life. She was in love with a man who had destroyed her world, gave her two beautiful daughters, and breezed back into her life to combat a new threat. But more than anything she was angry at the fact at how little anger she harbored towards him now. Helen had lost focus and instead of moving the book slowly across the room towards them, she inadvertently hurled it towards them at a great velocity. John had a split second to pull Helen back down to the mattress before the book thundered against the headboard. Helen suppressed a chuckle, but she knew John had heard her.
"That was not funny," John growled but it only made Helen's body shake with more laughter, "Are you trying to kill me?" John asked, but he said it with laughter in his voice.
Helen turned and straddled John's waist, pinning his hands above his head, "If, I wanted to kill, I could find," Helen started to say and then leaned over him to nip at the flesh above his heart, "Betters ways." Helen smiled and moved to nestle into John's side. During the short night they had been asleep his shoulder wound had healed as had her head. There was one good thing that came out of her abnormal abilities was the fast healing, not as fast as Ashley or Chase, but with rest her wounds would heal in a day.
"Woman, your do your best to make me lose my senses and I love every minute of it." John whispered and gently took Helen's lips in a loving kiss. He just wanted Helen to trust him, to love him, and want him like she had used to. So much lay between them, so much pain, anger, and hate. Yet love remained burning in their hearts like shining star. John fused all his love into the kiss. He willed her to feel his love.
Helen pulled back and stared down at him and she saw some of the man she had loved, the John Druitt who had been at Oxford, the man who thirsted for knowledge, who hungered for her and no one else. Maybe, just maybe, they could start again, have the family they wanted. Out of her periphery she saw the same book, only it was levitating. She smiled and John looked where she was and he chuckled, "I told you could do it."
"Cheeky Monkey," Helen laughed and kissed him again before climbing out of bed and heading in to the shower. Just before the door shut John was behind her, his arms around her waist, and his lips at her neck trying to devour her. Helen craned her neck to the side so John could have more; her heart rate sped up as she looked in the mirror. She sucked in a breath and John stopped, his eyes meeting hers in the reflection. The last time they had been like this was the morning after Ashley and Chase had been conceived. John splayed his hands over Helen's stomach and smiled. He had done the same thing that morning long past as well. Back then she had imagined what it would be like for him to be with her while she was carrying his child, but John turning into the Ripper had smashed all her dreams of their family.
Helen turned and wrapped her arms around his shoulders as she angled her head to capture his lips with hers. As much as she had not wanted to develop her gift, Helen had been glad that John had encouraged her. She moaned when John backed her up against the stone sink. He picked her up by the back of her thighs and set her on the edge. Helen wrapped her legs around him and pulled him closer, so much closer so she could feel more of his body and the hardness of him pressing to her center. His mouth dominated hers and she let him, Helen let John be in control this time, but only this one time. He was like a drug that she thought had gotten out of her system, but as he was here kissing her, making her burn, and making her crazy, Helen deduced that she had not gotten over John. And she never would be over him.
John had spent the rest of the night next to Helen and most of the morning and afternoon trying to get her to use her gift. Now they were in her bathroom heating the passion that lay between them once again. He traced his hand up her waist and under the light camisole top so he could caress her heated flesh. The gentlemen in him told him to stop, he had to stop, and he couldn't take her while she sat on a stone ledge when there was a perfectly good bed in the other room. John wanted to taste her, to have her again, once was never enough, and it never would be. But they had business to take care of. Gathering his will John stepped away and leaned his forehead to Helen's.
"We should make our presence known, can't stay in bed all day." John whispered. He placed a chaste kiss to her pulse and then backed out of the room.
"Why not?" Helen shouted and through the door she heard John's deep rumbling laughter. The least he could do was stay and shower with her, but then they might not make it out of there if he had stayed.
THE DEN:
John had come down the stairs in search of his daughters, and he didn't have to search far. Ashley and Chase were both asleep on one of the couches in the den. All his long life he had barely slept, yet when he got here most of the time he spent unconscious. John knew that Chase barely slept and yet there she was sleeping soundly like a child, along with Ashley. It was a curse of their blood, insomnia, but events of late were taking their toll.
John quietly sat in front of Chase and Ashley. He raked his gaze over both his daughters; Ashley was blond like her mother and Chase was brunette like he had been, once. But what remained the same were the eyes, a clear crystal blue. Ashley lay curled into her sister's side with her head resting on Chase's shoulder and her left arm draped over Chase's waist. Chase had her left arm draped over Ashley's upper thighs and her head was pillowed on top of Ashley's. John thought they looked like sleeping angels, gothic 21st century angels.
John rose to leave them to sleep only to look at Helen watching their daughters. She had a soft smile on her face, her head tilted to the side. He came over to her side and was going to nudge her out the door when Chase and Ashley woke up to stare at them.
"Hey, what time is it?" Ashley rubbed at her eyes as she gained her feet.
"1:30 in the afternoon." Helen smiled.
"Oh, wow, we slept that long. The last thing I remember doing is talking with Henry." Chase cracked her neck got up as well. She looked from her father, to her mother, and then to her sister. This was her family and she was proud to be apart of it. She couldn't keep the smile off her face as she saw the subtle shift of her parent's bodies. He stood closer to the other, much closer then when she had first gotten here.
"That seems all you do since you've gotten home," Helen mused.
"Well, in my defense I've died, and I was nearly blown up…. So I guess I would need some sleep after that." Chase replied and walked over to her mom. She put her arms around her shoulders and just felt the warmth and love coming off her. "I'm glad, you're my mother," Chase whispered and backed away.
Helen looked from Ashley to Chase and then back to Ashley who had a serious look in her eyes, the both did. They had found something and they were reluctant to say, "What are you two hiding?" Helen asked.
Both girls looked at each other and then turned guilty eyes on their mother with Ashley saying, "How do you know that?"
"I'm your mother, I'm supposed to know. Now what have you found?" Helen walked over to the couch across from the one Ashley and Chase had been sleeping on. She motioned for her daughters to sit as John took his place next to Helen, his attention piqued as to what the girls had discovered. He hoped that it was the location of Dana Whitcomb.
"Ashley, you tell her."
"No, you Chase."
"It should come from you." Chase poked her sister in the arm and jumped when Ashley returned the gesture, only she poked harder.
"One of you…"
Ashley and Chase looked at each other and then settled their gaze on their mother, "Henry found Dana Whitcomb. I had him run her photo; on the off chance we would hit pay dirt and find her. Well, we did, and she is close to the Sanctuary, our Sanctuary, our home." Chase informed. She noticed that her father sat a little straighter and darkness settled in his eyes. Chase had seen that look before, only it was reflected in her eyes. He was steeling himself for the inevitable kill. She didn't want her father to go back to who he was, though she had not known him as monster, she could tell that it was close to breaking loose.
"Why did you not tell me earlier?" Helen asked and watched as Chase lowered her head and lifted her hand to her heart and tapped a heart beat, and then she held up two fingers.
"I heard two heart beats, in your room. I was gonna tell you but you needed rest and I didn't want to wake you." Chase looked away.
"You should have told me…"
"You need rest just like everyone else." Chase sighed and got up to stand in front of the window. She looked at the ring on her left hand and then out to look at New City spread out before her. It wasn't her sister who came to stand behind her or her father, it was her mother.
"You could have woken me…"
"No, I will not go against fate; I will not disturb the single unified beating of two hearts." Chase whispered, "That is the truest kind of love mother, when two hearts can beat as one no matter the pain and anger that still lies between them. Which is why I didn't wake you."
Helen sighed and looked at John, she knew her heart belonged to him, but them to beat together was impossible. 'Ok Helen, improbable maybe, not impossible.' Helen thought and then said, "What are we to do about Dana Whitcomb?" She walked back to the couch and sat down next to John while she waited for Chase to take her place next to Ashley.
"I vote for the Eiffel Tower. We teleport her to the top and leave her hanging by her underpants." Ashley suggested which caused John to smile. She had said that to him once, at the time she wasn't trying to be funny, but now she actually meant it, though it came off as humorous.
"How about we teleport her to the lip of a volcano and leave her there." Chase stated and sat down next to her sister.
"Any suggestions that don't involve her death?" Helen asked, this time being specific.
"Nope," Ashley said and looked to Chase.
"Uh uh," Chase shook her head and looked to her father.
"I dare say not," John answered.
"We could put her in the SHU with one of those nasty ass monsters. I vote for the giant iguana." Ashley suggested.
"Or we could put her in with the fire element…" Chase started to reply but Helen cut them off.
"Enough, the both of you. We are not going to kill her." Helen stated her tone firm and commanding.
"Come on mom. Seriously we should at least put her out of her misery, ok, well our misery." Ashley nearly shouted. She had the most to gain from Dana's death, at least some peace of mind. It was on Dana's orders that Ashley had been experimented on and turned into an abnormal that tried to take down her mother's network, for that Dana Whitcomb's days were numbered. And before the end Ashley would make her beg for mercy.
"Ashley, you should listen to your mother," John said, rising from the couch. He had to pace, needed to pace. Too much anger was flying through his body, and to hear his own lust for revenge reflected in Ashley's voice, it made him cringe on the inside.
"Just because half of my DNA comes from doesn't mean you need to tell me to listen to my mom." Ashley snapped.
"Shouldn't we at least have her in custody before we talk about how we are going to kill her?" Chase asked.
"We are not going to kill her. Is no one listening to me?" Helen shouted, rose from the couch and paced as John was doing.
"It has to be discussed mom, by all of us. Not just Ashley, you, dad, and myself. I mean Henry, Will, Clara, and even Nikola. She went after all of us in one form or another and she should pay a price." Chase casually said, too casually for her mothers liking.
In her words Helen heard John's voice echoing in her mind over and over. Yes, she agreed that Dana should pay a price, but she did not think that that price should be death. It was too high and she would never learn not to mess with the Magnus family or the Sanctuary network. There was some deep dark part of Helen that screamed for Dana's blood to be spilled, she wanted it as much as she knew John would. That woman had been responsible for the torture of Ashley and Chase. The mother in her wanted Dana dead, but Helen the logical scientist knew it was wrong to take her life for just that reason.
"Let's capture her first, and then we will talk about this, later." Helen made her tone firm and commanding. She knew that Ashley and Chase would take their revenge, but if she said no her daughters would abide her wishes. Then there was John, she wasn't so sure that he would stay his hand in the course of his own wants of revenge for the injustice Chase and Ashley suffered.
HELEN'S OFFICE:
Helen leaned against the edge of her desk, her arms crossed over her chest as John stood beside her mirroring her position. Nikola stood brooding in a corner while Ashley paced. Will and Clara were sitting on the sofa to the left as Chase and Henry sat on the one to the right. Chase only stared at her mother. She knew what was coming as did Ashley and John. Earlier Chase, Ashley, Helen, and John had discussed what should happen to Dana. Three to one for were for Dana's death while Helen remained on the side of keeping her alive. Chase had been right in saying all of them should discuss Dana Whitcomb's fate.
"It has just been brought to my attention the Dana Whitcomb has been located. She is indeed at this moment very close to the Sanctuary. I asked you all here to ask your thoughts on what we should do about her. John, Ashley, and chase have already voiced their opinions and voted for her death. I want to see and hear what the rest of you think." Helen said and looked around the room at each of them.
"I'm with you Magnus, I don't think we should kill her and we can't turn her over to the authorities. What would we tell them?" Will posed the question they all were thinking. Even if the authorities could detain her, they had nothing to charge her on. That meant it was up to the Sanctuary Network to dole out her punishment.
"Sorry, but I stay we take her out of the picture. Let her die, she would be one less headache we have to deal with." Clara stated. All eyes went to her.
"Clara…"
"No, you asked us. My vote is death." Clara looked away and out of the window. She had nearly died had it not been for the brutality displayed by Chase and her triumph over that super abnormal.
"As much as I think she should die, we would be no better than her if we did that. But we can't keep her here, can we?" Henry voiced his opinion.
"We could, in theory. The cells in the SHU were designed for long term incarceration. But we would run the risk of her escaping." Helen answered and nodded at Henry.
"So, we just put her in a deep dark hole somewhere.," Chase tossed out the idea, "If we can't kill her, then put her somewhere we can make sure she can't escape."
"Changing your vote?" John asked raising his eyebrow at Chase. She had been plotting Dana's death not two hours ago and now she was changing her mind.
"Offering alternatives." Chase replied. She more than anyone wanted to see Dana dead, but if it was not the way fro her to go then Chase would settle for her being kept in some deep dark hole.
"Now, the question is, dear Helen, would you be the one taking her life?" Nikola asked as he moved out of the corner.
Helen looked right at Nikola and she knew her answer, no amount of anger could make her take the life of another human being. Even if that human was Dana Whitcomb, the woman responsible for the torture of her daughters, "No, I couldn't take her life, not even if someone put the gun in my hand." Helen answered. She was not a killer. She didn't have the mentality to take life. She had killed before but that was in defense.
"Then why are we even talking about killing, unless you are not going to be the one to dispatch her. To your left you have your charming psychopath, who I'm sure, would love nothing than to kill her. Then you have Chase, the vicious little monster she is, due to her animal DNA, looks eager to take more life." He grinned wickedly at Chase when she growled at him.
"Nikola…"
"No, mom, he's right. I am monster, but the Cabal made me so. I would have no moral qualms about killing her." Chase stated and rose from the couch to stand between her mother and Nikola.
"Who says you would be the one to dispatch Whitcomb?" John asked and walked over to Chase.
"Well, I'm not going to let you kill her."
"I'm your father, that's my right."
"I won't let you become the soulless kill you used to be." Chase growled. The need to protect her family and be the enforcer screamed through her mind. Her father was gaining ground with her mother and needed to stay on that path.
"Like father like daughter." Nikola mused. He had to move back quickly because Chase lunged at him, snarling and snapping, but what Nikola noticed was that her eyes had gone red. Chase would have reached him had it not been for John. He had one arm wrapped around her waist and his other hand wrapped around her throat.
"Stop! Chase, come back." John ordered and exerted more force on Chase. She was still snapping and snarling. He had not seen her like this in weeks. The last time he had seen her like this was the one time he had managed to save a Cabal agent from being killed by his daughter. John really thought she had control of her beast. Chase sagged lightly against him and shook her head.
"I'm sorry Nikola." Chase heaved out a breath and coughed, "I guess I shouldn't be talking about death. My beast gets a little excited and wants to come out and play." Chase said sarcasm ringing in her voice.
John ran his hand up and down Chase's back and looked at Helen, "We should leave this discussion for another time."
"Yes, I dare say you're right." Helen nodded and everyone filed out of her office, only Nikola, John, and Chase remained.
Chase pulled away from her father and started to head out of the door when he caught her arm, "Dad, I'm better. I'll take my anger out on punching bag or something."
"Do not leave this house, are we clear?" John warned. He didn't chase acting rashly.
"Dad you can track me where ever I go," She held up her left hand where her ring lay. They had discovered that it also worked as a tracking device. Even now she could feel her father just on the edge of her mind, he was barely a whisper but she could feel him. He always seemed to know when she was in danger and he would come and save her.
"Just, don't…" John clasped his hand with hers so his ring was visible as well.
"What are you going to do, follow me around?" Chase asked and then growled. She didn't need her father following her around the Sanctuary because he was afraid she would slip away and kill Dana, she had thought about it but it was not her place to kill the bitch. It had to be her mother's choice, as much as Chase would love other wise. The decision rested with Helen Magnus.
"If I have to," John answered. He looked at Helen and then followed Chase out of the door.
Helen leaned back against her desk and covered her eyes with her right hand. She sighed and looked up when Nikola stood in front of her wearing a strange expression, "You know I just realized that you will never look at me the way you look at Druitt."
"Oh, Nikola. He's just…." Helen started to say, but her words died on her tongue. She didn't know what to tell Nikola. Helen doubted that he had ever loved her, flirted to annoy John; she knew that it wouldn't be above Nikola to do.
"You love him, don't you?"
"Nikola, I… see you as my friend. That's all I can see you as, my friend." Helen chose to ignore Nikola saying she loved John. Yes, she loved him, but she was not ready for others to know that yet.
"At least I'm still that, despite everything. That doesn't mean I won't flirt with you just to annoy that psycho." Nikola quipped and smiled his boyish grin.
Helen smiled back and nodded her head, "Yes, Nikola, you are still my friend." She said, she had nothing else to say to his comment about flirting with her and moved past him. What she had seen of Chase worried her and that was her next stop.
NORTH TOWER:
Helen walked through the door expecting to find Chase, instead she found John. He had his back to her as he looked out at New City. She took a few minutes to watch him dressed in black. All he ever wore was black lately, as did she. It was a product of her being raised in the Victorian era, dark colors for a dark time. "I know you are watching me." John said and Helen blushed. She had been caught. He turned to her and held out his hand willing her to take it. She could tell John wanted to hold her, to feel her body against his, just as she yearned for his touch now, craved his body to fit with hers.
Helen debated going to him, taking his hand, and letting him pull her into his arms so she could feel his warmth and revel in his body, but she sighed and instead asked, "What happened in there?" This question should have been asked when Chase first came home. John had been harboring their daughter, making her better, and bringing her back into herself.
John sighed as well, dropping his hand, and turning his back on Helen, "She, lost control. No, it is more than that. Parts of her beast bled through the chains she has it shackled with. When I found her, she was a snarling snapping beast, but some part of our daughter managed to regain her mind and chain the animal, yet sometimes it gains a foot hold in her mind as you saw."
"They did more than torture her, and Ashley," Helen went to him then and let him enfold her in his arms. John held her so her back was pressed tight against his chest. His fingers interlaced with hers as he crossed her arms over her chest to hold her more securely to him than she already was.
"She must die, after everything that has happened to our daughters…" John uttered his tone low and dangerous. He felt a shudder run through Helen as his tone.
"If we killed her John, then we are not better than she is," Helen replied and leaned her head back so it rested on his shoulder.
"Is this how it feels to be a parent? To worry and want to protect them?" John whispered. Helen could hear the torment and pain, and anger in his voice. She hated to hear him like this.
"Becoming a father suits you." Helen untangled her hands from his and turned to face him, she needed to see his face.
"I became their father the moment I rescued Chase, truly their father." John leaned his forehead to Helen's and allowed her to witness the tears to fall. He had so many conflicting emotions swirling in his mind. The need to protect he children, his woman, and then there was the need to take the life of the woman who nearly destroyed Ashley and Chase. He wanted her blood; he wanted to take her life. Her life in payment for the pain and agony his children had suffered. It seemed fair in his mind, but he could see Helen's point. If they killed her they would, in fact, be no better.
Helen felt one of his tears drop onto her cheek. How much pain was he enduring, how much suffering was he going through? John had never been like this when she had known him, not when they had been human. She was stunned, but not stunned enough. Pulling back from him Helen kissed his tears away. They had come full circle, but this time was different. She could admit that he was the man she wanted, despite the killer he had been and the killer he may yet revert to; Helen wanted him, wanted to love him, and wanted him to hold her on the cold nights. She would never be free of him and she never wanted to be. Nikola was right; she was still in love with him. That would never change, "I love you, I always will." Helen let her own tears fall. She had said the single thing that could unite them or destroy them.
John looked at her. He had wanted to hear that single declaration since he had come back, more so when they had been in the desert making love, and he had yearned to have her say it as the sun rose to bath them in the first light of dawn. But being Helen, she chose her own time to come to things. She always had and always would. Now john knew that her love for him had survived all that he had done, all the hatred he had infected her with, and all the pain he had inflicted. John knew he had been meant for Helen, he had known it in his soul and in his heart. She was the missing half and he had tried to cut her out, but now she was so closely bound to him that it would destroy both of the should he revert back to who and what he was. Her love would be enough to keep him grounded, keep him John Druitt, at least he hoped.
John molded his lips to Helen's tasted her lips, felt the silken slide of her tongue as it invaded his mouth. What started as his kiss soon became hers. She dominated his mouth, showing him what a kiss with her should be like. John took back his control and showed her how he was going to kiss her. Using his lips he feasted from her mouth, taking in her taste, reminding him of what he was fighting for, he was fighting for her love, the love she was trusting him with once again. She nipped at his bottom lip and John growled into her mouth making her shiver. This was how it should be with them and John was going to make sure it stayed that way.