Author's Note: So, I was able to get everything working on my end again. I found and uploaded the edited version of the last chapter but nothing much has changed so you definitely don't have to go back and read it or anything. It's just there for my own sanity really. As always, thank you for the reviews! And enjoy...

Disclaimer: I sort of wish I owned the characters and show, but I don't and they seem to be in capable hands.

Sanctum

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Leaving

Light filtered in through the gauzy curtains, painting everything in Helen's bedroom a warm golden hue. It glowed on the pale expanse of her bare back and the dark locks of hair splayed over the off-white pillow, clearly sending warmth through her body that had been steadily relaxing her further into sleep for more than a few hours. Much needed hours, he knew.

There was a lazy silence in the afternoon air, thick and echoing all at once. Outside, not even a slight breeze disturbed the dark tree leaves. The sound of their collective breathing was the only disturbance, hers barely audible with her face pressed into her pillow and her fist tucked close to her lips. Gazing at her in rapt attention once again, Nikola was struck by just how beautiful she was with her expression softly relaxed in sleep. It eased all the lines of worry and fatigue, all the haunted thoughts her eyes were capable of expressing. Sleep transformed her; changing her back into the old Helen. The one that had existed... before. He took a deep breath in through his nose and let it out with a gentle shake of his head as his thoughts strayed back over the course of the last few days. So close. It had been so very close.

Almost four days had passed since he had carried her unconscious form to that tumble-down little shack with a satellite phone hidden under the rotted floorboards so he could contact her people for help. The two days of tests and treatment at that Sanctuary hospital had inched by, with her strapped to a temporary pacemaker for most of the duration to return her erratic heartbeat to it's normal rhythm. She had been, and in fact still was, on strong antibiotics in case of infection in the lead threaded into her chest. Even after it was finally removed, she hadn't been allowed out of bed for fear of a decline in her health. Because of this, when she finally awoke, her movements had been limited. Her condition had been under constant observation. Which he had helped the doctors enforce firmly despite her attempts at convincing them she was 'fine', and which she didn't seem to particularly appreciate.

Nothing could have shadowed the flood of relief and love that had tingled up through his body when her eyes had fluttered open to look at him. He could have lost himself in those eyes. He'd stayed in a haze of euphoria by her side, watching over her and trying to keep her spirits up. But she had seemed only dimly aware of everything around her. All her actions and words had been slurred with fatigue. He knew, over all, she had gotten off lucky despite the rolling nausea, tingling, and muscle spasms she'd suffered.

It eased his worry when the doctor had at last deemed her stable enough for the journey and she had been transferred back to her home Sanctuary. Despite her progress though, Nikola had remained concerned right up until yesterday in the late afternoon. He knew for certain she was going to be okay when she had finally dragged herself out of her drugged fog to slap his hand away from stealing the pudding cup the hairy butler had brought for her to eat. He'd stared at her in shock for a long time before smiling wide into her twinkling eyes.

It took all of her patience to remain in the infirmary for a whole day without protest. He could tell just by looking at her. Frankly, he'd been impressed by her restraint. Her old hairy friend had refused to release her last night, despite her insistence. It was only after she had kept up a constant protest that she was finally allowed to retire to her own rooms just this morning and had promptly fallen deeply asleep, sprawled out on her stomach. At last, she had a clear path to recovery.

Straightening up from his casual lean on one of the windowsills, he strolled slowly up to the foot of the bed on silent feet. He felt so much more like himself, strong and refreshed, dressed in a brand new suit that trimmed out his lean figure nicely. There was no lingering pain, no ache present in his chest. In fact, he felt like he could swim the English Channel, just like Matthew Webb had all those years ago on a bet. The unrelenting bugger. How he and Nigel had gotten into trouble for that one! He still maintained that they had only been joking and hadn't expected the man to take it so seriously.

He smiled in gentle memory, his feeling of well being increasing as he shifted over to the side of Helen's bed and got an even better angle to view her rising chest. Slowly, he bent and kissed her cheek. It was barely a brush of his lips against her flesh. For a millisecond, he allowed himself to relish in the soft tickle of her hair on his chin and the warmth of her supple skin. She didn't stir in the slightest, even as he lingered, smiling down at her for all the world like he held a part of that precious life reflected in his heart.

Then he finally stepped back, tugged his suit jacket to button it closed, turned about on his heel and walked out the door.

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