Ok. Before I start there are violent scenes some may find upsetting, however I can now promise you that happiness is on the way. Promise promise. Just think about how much more you will love it after this haha.

Oh and a cheeky plug. The first of the Olympic One-Shots has been posted There are six of us writing a set of 12 Olympic based Teslen one shots. Go have a look. Cheeky I know. Massive shout to agrainne24 for beta-ing. She is a star for sticking with me through this. Love you doll.

Chapter 10

Helen pushed the door open to the room she liked to study in. Her eyes were red and swollen after talking to Nikola, and all she wanted was time on her own. Sitting down on the nearest chair she let the sobs she had been trying to hold on to flow freely from her as she placed her head into her hands. The sudden hand pressing down on her shoulder made her stand up and fly away from the chair she was sitting in. 'My word John…you startled me…' She lifted a hand to her chest hoping to calm herself and stop her heart from pounding.

'You're upset…' John reached out another hand towards her, though in the movement he saw Helen flinch away from his touch. Quick as a flash he bought his fist crashing down against the table next to her, causing it to shake with the force. 'We are engaged Helen…you have no right to be scared of me…' Quickly he shook his head before crouching in front of her and lifting a hand to cup one of her cheeks. 'I never meant to startle you my darling…I just worry about you. I hate seeing you so upset.'

Helen shut her eyes, she couldn't face looking at him, but it was too obvious a movement to turn his head away. 'Don't do this John…not now…' She willed the tears to stop rolling down her cheek, but all of this felt completely wrong. She wanted nothing more than to run back to Nikola, to tell him that she had been wrong. That all of this had been completely wrong.

'Do what Helen? Talk? For it seems quite clear to me that you have been avoiding me. In fact since you accepted my generous proposal I have barely seen you.' With more force than was necessary he turned her head and held it with both hands so she was forced to face him. Without warning he kissed her with what could only be described as a mixture of passion and violence. He crushed his lips against hers, trying to force a movement that should otherwise have been completely natural.

The contact was nothing like the kisses she had shared with Nikola. The force of John's kiss had both scared her and taken her breath away. She wanted to scream out for someone to save her from what this was becoming. Every moment she spent with John was burning up a hatred deep inside of her. What right did this man have to take control over her…she could feel the bile rising in her throat at the thought of spending a single night with him, let alone spending the rest of her life by his side. Feeling something bubbling inside of her she bought her hands to his chest and pushed with the strength she felt, trying desperately to push him away from the closeness to her body.

John started to laugh at the protest underneath him. He lifted a hand to take hold of her chin, making sure than he had a firm grip on her before he pulled away. 'Now now Helen…have you not yet learnt your place.' His tone became darker and darker as he bought his mouth round to her ear before hissing. 'You will do as I say woman…' He bought her mouth back up to his before forcing another kiss. Feeling her struggle he laughed before letting go of her face. He watched it gently fall before quickly pulling back his hand.

Helen didn't see his hand fall, neither did she see the hand move. The first thing she knew of the action was the resounding noise of skin slapping skin that rang around the small room. It was then she felt the pain spread across her cheek. It was a normal instant reaction to soothe a pain, but she was determined that she would not give him the satisfaction of seeing that he had caused her pain. She would never let him see the pain in her.

'Perhaps now you will learn your place.' He stood taller and straightened himself before nodding towards her. 'I expect to see you for dinner at 8 sharp.' He left the room without another sound leaving Helen sat in the chair, feeling as though every part of her was starting to crumble inside.

Helen watched him leave before falling forwards from the chair and landing on her knees. The sobs racked throughout her body as she shook with disgust and pain. She couldn't help but ask herself how everything had changed so quickly, she had gone from facing her heart's desire full in the face. After fighting it for such a long time she had dropped her guard and accepted that this was what she wanted. He was the final piece of the puzzle, and here she was letting it go.

After losing the baby she didn't believe that anything could have hurt so much, but now resting on her knees against the hard floor she was looking out a life with a man she loathed, and there didn't seem to be anything she could do about it. She could hardly complain, she had known that she was taking a huge risk with Nikola, but it had seemed so right. He was the man she expected to spend her life with, and she had wanted to be with him in every way possible. The only thing making the miscarriage bearable was the thought that one day her and Nikola would hold their baby close in their arms. Pushing back to sit up on her chair she wiped the tears away from her face. Looking down she was startled to see a mix of tears and blood smeared across her face, thinking back she remembered the ring John wore. He must have cut her face with the force of the strike.

Looking around she remembered where she was. She sighed with the realisation that there was nothing around her to either clean or sterilise the wound. Wiping her face she quickly stood up before leaving the room.

…

Walking back through the corridors Nikola was struggling not to take his frustration out of on the nearby wall. There had been few times in his life that he had wanted something quite so much, but know he knew that everything he wanted was Helen. It felt now that without her by his side there would be something missing. The thing that disgusted him even more was the thought he was going to lose her to John Druitt.

Stopping dead in his tracks he heard the familiar footsteps behind him. Turning around he wanted to vomit. Helen stood in front of him with a face that was bruised with fresh blood running from a sharp cut across her face. He had only been away from her for twenty minutes. 'My God Helen…what happened.' Running up towards her he gently cupped her cheek, without thinking he gently placed a kiss to her forehead.

Helen looked at him before starting to cry again. She relaxed into his arms and let him pull him closer and wrap his arms around her. Once again she found herself sobbing into his arms. Neither of them caring that the blood from her cheek was transferring onto his shirt.

Nikola rubbed down her back, he needed to relax himself at the same time as comforting her. Across her cheek he could see the large handprint forming. It seemed quite clear what has caused the injury to her face, and he had a pretty good idea who had done it. 'Hush darling…he can't hurt you now…' He whispered into her ear before kissing the hair covering her ear. Gently pulling her head back he carefully turned her head so he could see the cut more clearly. Running a finger along the bottom of it he winced as she did. 'I don't think you'll need stitches my love…but we do need to get it cleaned up.' He kissed her forehead again before slipping an arm around her waist and leading her to his room to use the medical kit he knew was there.

For the first time in the day Helen felt completely safe with Nikola's arm wrapped around her waist. Looking up at the face she adored she felt more confused than she had before. What was she meant to do?

Hope it wasn't too bad lovelies. Thanks for staying with me. Tasha. X