Helen Magnus expresses her deepest fears and secrets about John.

She lifted her hand to wipe the tear away, but she felt a soft nudge push her hand down. Her chair turned as he took her hand and held her. The warmth of his body, the feel of his beating heart was all she needed. Being over a hundred years old, all she needed was Nikola to hold her so she could let her composure shatter and allow herself to fall apart in his arms.

The summer thunderstorms had given him an excuse to use his fire place, as he was always in Helen's room using hers. He missed her then, wishing she was lying next to him with her soft brown curls falling over her shoulder as she leaned her head back to laugh the laugh that made his heart stop.