"Pass me the gun, mother."

"You'll need a bigger harness."

"I couldn't find my usual one, did it end up with back down here after that last time?"

"Your belongings are not my responsibility, Cecilia."

"Oh, come on. You were down here last, I'm just asking if you've seen it."

"No, you're asking because you've lost it."

"Have not!"

"I am not getting into this argument with you."

"Well then, will you lend me your old one?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because you lost yours."

"But it's not like you need two," Cecilia half whined, shooting her mother a pitying look. Helen shook her head and sighed before handing over the harness. Cecilia pecked her mother on the cheek before turning away with a grin.

The others looked on in shock, Nikola's jaw just about hitting the floor.

"I don't understand them," Will muttered, shaking his head as he turned away and went back to getting ready.

"I didn't think they were capable of talking and not fighting," Henry said, a little in awe.

"Stop gaping," both women said at the same time. They turned at the sound of each other's voice and smirked the same little smirk.

"We can be civil," Cecilia said smugly.

"Sometimes we genuinely like each other," Helen put in in mock earnest.

"Don't mind them," Nic added with a chuckle. "I think they just don't get women."

Cecilia snorted and shot a grin at the other woman.

"I like that it's your father who is the most struck by all this," she put in.

"Are you really surprised?" Nicola countered.

"Not really," Helen threw in for good measure.

"Hey, I am still here you know," Nikola tossed out, crossing his arms. "And I'm not all that clueless when it comes to women."

Nicola, Helen and Cecilia all raised their eyebrows at him in disbelief.

"Yeah, and Hank here is the best shot out of the team," Kate put in with a snort.

"Sorry mate," Declan said, clapping Nikola on the shoulder. "I think even I know a bit more about girls than you."

"You may know girls, but I know women," Nikola said scornfully, rolling his eyes.

"Please, oh wise and pontificating one, share your wisdom with us," Cecilia exclaimed, rolling her eyes.

"Be nice, Cecilia," Helen chastised.

"It's not my fault he said something stupid," she grumbled turning away.

Helen said nothing, lips quirking briefly before she levelled an expectant look at Nikola.

"So," she said, crossing her arms. "What do you know of women?"

Nikola smirked back. Sometimes she really had no idea of what she set him up for.

"Well, I know how to do that thing, you know the one with my tongue that made you-"

"NO!" she cried, lunging forward and clamping a hand over his mouth. The alarm in her eyes made Nikola chuckle with muted evil glee.

"But you wanted to know what I know," he said earnestly, pulling away from her grip. "Because I know how to do that thing with the tie as well and that made yo-"

Her hand found its way back to his mouth.

"I swear if you say another word I'll feed you to Steve," she said so softly no one else could hear. Nikola grinned at her, pressing a soft kiss to her hand before wiggling his tongue against her palm until she released him.

"You are such a child," she said, looking at her palm in disgust. Nikola smiled proudly until she wiped her hand on his face.

"Now who's the child?" he muttered in disgust, whipping out a handkerchief.

Helen was chuckling at him as he stuffed the soiled cloth back in his pocket and he narrowed his eyes. He'd come up with some kind of punishment for this later. Maybe he'd show her the thing he could do with just a single feather...

Or, he mused as she turned around to tie a shoelace, he could punish her now. Making sure that the others were no longer paying attention to them, he walked up behind her, grabbing her by the hips as he pulled her arse back flush against him. Helen squeaked, straightening up as Nikola wrapped his arms now around her waist.

"Sometimes, I wonder if you really love me," he said wistfully, nuzzling against her ear.

"Nikola, get off me," she said, pushing at his arms but Nikola held fast.

"Tell me you love me," he said softly, swaying with her in his arms.

"No."

"Please?"

"Nikola..."

"Three little words," he crooned softly.

"You're so needy, you know that?" she replied, leaning back into his arms just a little.

Nikola said nothing, just holding her tighter. What had started as the opportunity possibly feel her up had somehow resulted in him honestly needing to hear her say the words. He wasn't normally this needy, honestly he wasn't but there was something about Helen that brought it out in him. He felt... insecure, like a child.

Carefully, Helen pulled herself free of his grip, looking surreptitiously around at the others as they made their final preparations. With a tiny smile she took his hand discreetly, rubbing a small circle with her thumb across the back of his hand.

They said nothing for a second, Helen simply smiling shyly at him.

"Hey, you two," Cecilia called. "Stop mooning and get ready."

"Go get in the transport pod," Helen called, frowning at her daughter before turning back to Nikola. The others shook their heads as they filed out of the room, leaving them alone.

The second they were totally alone, Nikola launched himself at her. Helen responded eagerly as their lips met, her arms wrapping around his shoulders as Nikola forced her back. When her back thudded against the wall, Nikola's hands grabbed her thighs, hauling her up until she could wrap her legs around his hips. Helen chuckled into his mouth in surprise but didn't complain, pulling him closer as their kiss grew more and more frantic.

"What have you done to me?" she breathed as his lips slipped down to her neck.

"Not my fault," he muttered against her skin.

"I can't... I can't say no to you," she moaned, clutching to him tighter. "You've broken me, Nikola. Beyond all repair."

"Yes, yes, and he's the balm to your soul," a sarcastic voice put in, forcing Nikola to still the hands perusing Helen's body.

He turned his head, still holding Helen up to the wall.

"They're waiting for you," Nic said, shaking her head.

"I told you so," came another equally snarky voice just as Cecilia wandered around the corner. She too shook her head, leaning against the door frame.

"Why did you make me do this?" Nic asked, looking down at the shorter woman.

"Well, the others refused and you've already seen all the gory details," Cecilia said, shrugging. "No need to scar more people than necessary."

"Sometimes, I don't like you," Nic told Cecilia.

"Aw, c'mon, you love me. Just admit it," Cecilia said with a grin before gesturing to Nikola and Helen. "Maybe not as much as they love each other but still..."

Nic scoffed and rolled her eyes, turning and stalking from the room while Cecilia merely laughed.

Carefully, Nikola proceeded to step back from Helen, letting her sink to the floor on shaky legs. Her hands slid from his hair and down his chest to clutch at his jacket. She gave him a small smile and swallowed before stepping around him.

Nikola turned to follow her, surprised to find Cecilia still watching as they straightened themselves up.

"You know, if either of you screw this up, I'll be very upset," she said conversationally.

"Pardon?" Helen asked, blinking at her daughter.

"This." She waved a hand between them. "Don't screw it up, please."

"I wasn't planning on it," Nikola put in, rolling his eyes.

"No, I wouldn't think you were," Cecilia conceded. "But considering the decades it took you to achieve this... Well, your track record speaks for itself, doesn't it?"

"Cecilia," Helen said warningly.

"I'm going, I'm going," she said, holding up her hands in defeat. "But if either of you end up in tears, I'm not going to comfort you, I'm going to kick your arses, all right?"

Crappy chapter, I know but you get kisses and snark so meh :P

xx