Notes: This chapter is a long time in coming, I do apologize for the delay. Thank you to Heka Girl, melissaadams22, Mrs Marcus Volturi and Ty for reviewing. And my justification for having Helen and John know each other already is I heard somewhere that the real Montague John Druitt's father was a surgeon and since Gregory was a doctor I figure doctors run in the same kind of circles so they might have known each other and by extension their children know each other. Also I have no idea what it was like to be in Oxford University in Victorian England so I am sorry if its historically inaccurate but I tried my best.


"Wasn't that enlightening?" Helen asked rhetorically of John as they exited the classroom, "history is a most fascinating subject."

"Quite," John agreed bemused and gladdened that she seemed to be enjoying herself, personally he found Professor Ackerman's lectures incredibly boring but Helen was happy and that was all that mattered to him.

"It's amazing how drastically times can change," Helen continued happily, "how advanced medicine and technology have come, it makes you wonder in the years to come what could happen."

"I suppose," he mused thoughtfully.

"So where do we go for luncheon?" Helen inquired turning away from her excitement for a minute, "my next class isn't until after that."

"The University provide food," John explained, "or if you strongly disapprove we can leave the premises and go for a meal somewhere else."

"University food is fine John," Helen agreed offering him a smile, "lead the way."

"As the lady wishes," he replied returning her smile and obliging her request.

It was on the other site of the campus but he didn't mind the walk, not with Helen Magnus for company who was intrigued by the architecture and the artwork lining the walls. He was pleased she was enjoying herself so much, it made him feel slightly guilty that he was often bored by this place but pleased nonetheless. The only thing truly bothering him were the pretentious fools they passed in the corridors, snickering and muttering under their breath about how women were stupid which angered him.

If they actually knew Helen then they would be singing her praises right now rather than condemning her, it angered him to no end that they should speak that way about her. He couldn't even confront them about it because Helen being the confident, dignified women she was chose not to even justify their insults with a reply much to his admiration and annoyance.

They reached the food hall and he quickly found them a table before going to get their lunch, a modest helping of sandwiches with a few different flavors, for such a prestigious institution they spent very little on food he noted. Satisfied anyone he carried the plates of food back to the table only to nearly drop it when he saw none other than Nikola Tesla sitting chatting with her, infuriated he forced himself to calm before striding back over to them.

"Hey Johnny," Tesla greeted him with an irritating smirk, "come join us, Helen was just telling me about her first class."

"Its Mister Druitt to you Tesla," he announced darkly sitting beside Helen and placing the plates in front of them.

"Whatever you say Johnny," the Serbian retorted much to John's irritation, he knew Tesla was deliberating baiting him as the 'genius' seemed to find it incredibly amusing just to get on anyone's nerves.

"Well it was nice seeing you Tesla," John forced himself to say as polite as he could manage between clenched teeth, "but I didn't bring you any food so I'm afraid you'll have to leave. Now."

"I can get my own food," Tesla stated standing up stiffly.

"What did I tell you about encouraging him?" John complained when Tesla was out of earshot, "he's like a stray dog, give him attention and he'll keep coming back for more."

"John that's entirely unfair," Helen retorted studying the sandwiches, "he's not a dog. He's an intelligent young man who is accepting of my intellect."

"He could just be pretending to be accepting," John pointed out.

"Why would he do that?" Helen snorted with dubitation.

"Why? You never know with him," John replied garishly to which she just rolled her eyes.

"You are jealous aren't you?" she implied choosing a sandwich and taking a bite.

"Me? Jealous? Of him? Of course not!" John protested feeling slightly offended even as he realized she was partially right, Tesla was smarter than him, younger, better looking, and it did worry him that Helen had taken a fancy to him.

She didn't actually reply just studied him curiously which nibbling her sandwich, he quickly followed suit and started on his own food. The bread was stale but the filling was actually quite delectable, he had almost forgotten about Tesla until the man reappeared and sat across the table from him with his own lunch.

"Who said you can sit here?" John demanded of the genius.

"I didn't realize I needed your permission," Tesla retorted.

"He doesn't," Helen intervened and motioned for him to sit which he triumphantly did.

"Lunch isn't bad," Tesla commented after taking a bite, "bread's always stale though."

"Isn't it just?" John sighed trying not to glare at his new rival.

"It's a shame they don't serve wine with it," Tesla continued seemingly half to himself.

"I've always preferred brandy myself," John retorted stiffly, "Helen?"

"I have no preference for one nor the other," she answered cryptically, "it depends entirely on the occasion."

John merely grunted in reply to her answer and tried to concentrate on eating his food, his eyes kept trying to glare at Tesla so he scanned the room thoughtfully instead. Much to his annoyance he could a few of his classmates nearby discussing how outrageous it was that a woman should be studying at Oxford, even if she was just auditing classes. For one of, if not the best University in England the students were surprisingly dim and narrow-minded in his opinion. He'd never much got on with all of their nonsense, Nigel Griffin was probably the only one who he found even remotely interesting and James Watson of course but then he was like an outsider, no one really cared for his perceptiveness and ideas.

James was the only person in the school he really considered a friend but unfortunately for John, his friend was keeping his distance for the time being, simply sitting quietly in the corner seemingly lost in thought. Vaguely he wondered whether this was because of his discomfort about Helen's gender or because of the fact the Tesla had taken a sudden interest in them.

"So do tell me Tesla," John decided to ask of the self-proclaimed genius, "since when did people become interesting to you?"

"What is that supposed to mean?" Tesla replied suspiciously.

"Well usually you find pigeons to be of better company than us," he continued hoping he was making Tesla uncomfortable, "why the change?"

"Usually they are," Tesla answered carefully, "but its always nice to offer a welcome to a new student, the British are not the most welcoming of peoples."

"I'd have to disagree with that," John stated feeling the need to defend his nationality.

"Oh really?" Tesla scoffed raising an eyebrow, "have you listened to the amount of times old Ben there has used the words 'ridiculous,' 'women' and 'Oxford' in the same sentence?"

"I would guess a lot," Helen offered blandly, "just out of curiosity Mister Tesla, why are you so... accepting of me?"

"Because women aren't nearly as stupid as we're led to believe," Tesla explained, "my Mother is one of the smartest people I know, and my sisters are far from stupid. I've only had two conversations with you and I can already see you're intelligent, just because society has dictated every woman is stupid and every man is smart that does not make it so. "

"Well said Mister Tesla," Helen agreed giving him a slight smile, "I'm impressed."

"Well you should be," Tesla replied smirking, "genius, remember?"