Title: Nova Vita

Author: Shannon – shannyfish

Disclaimer: I do not own "Sanctuary" or its characters, Syfy and other people do. This is merely for entertainment purposes only.

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Magnus, Druitt, and Tesla are captured. A group (possibly the Cabal) capture them and attempt to find a way to reproduce a super abnormal from source blood parents. Takes place after "Neutiquam Erro".

Warning: Season 1-3 is fair for sure, if I have spoilers for 4, it's by complete accident.

Author's Note: Reviews make me happy :D And I'll write faster too! So, keep that in mind!

. . .

Chapter 5 – "Lasting Decisions"

Helen sat in a new room. It was by far, more like a room than the one that she'd been in before. The walls were painted a muted yellow and the bedding wasn't a standard white from a hospital. She was certain that they'd taken minimal steps to make it more like a home. She supposed that it made things a little easier to live there for an extended period of time. It had a simple bed and an attached three-piece bathroom. That was it.

Moving to the bed, she removed her shoes and socks. The room she was in was heated comfortably. It was actually nice to be able to remove them and warm up a bit more. She'd still been a little chilly. She neatly set them by the bed and then removed the coat she'd been wrapped in. She folded it and placed it on top of her shoes as well.

For some reason, she felt fear. Fear of what would happen. She knew what would happen…why was she such a mess? Moving back on the bed, she sat in the middle and waited. She stared at the door, waiting and telling herself to just breathe. She'd made the right choice. Things would turn out just fine.

The door opened after some time. The time didn't help to calm her though. Her heart and her brain had still fought. A man she thought she'd never invite into her bedroom again appeared and she held her breath for a moment as the door shut. "John," she greeted as she moved off of the bed and walked towards him.

"They wouldn't tell me what was going on…or if you were okay," John told her quickly.

"Smith wanted to talk to me privately," Helen told him. "Probably figured that it wouldn't be as productive trying to talk to all three of us."

"What did he want?" John asked.

"He was trying to make me understand why he's doing this…to try to make me feel sorry for him," Helen explained. "He was trying to make this easier…"

"Easier?"

"He said that as long as I cooperate…as we all cooperate, that he'll let me choose who to conceive the child with—"

"Is that why I'm here?" John asked a bit surprised.

"Smith said that if we cooperate that we'll be able to keep the child with us. They won't take him or her away. He says all they want are samples and scans. They won't actually experiment on the child," Helen told him, ignoring his question for a moment. "He's willing to just take the samples from each of us and have a surrogate carry who knows how many children…but I said we'd cooperate." She was quiet for a moment as she stared at him. "He said we can go free once they're done…and take the baby with us…"

"But can he be trusted?"

"Honestly, I don't know," Helen told him. "But for now, we have to play along…"

"I see."

"I'd rather carry this child rather than having no idea how many children they created and where they are," Helen told him a little angry at the idea. "I would always wonder…" Her voice softened and she looked down for a moment and then back up at him. "But I need your help, John."

"Why not Nikola?" he asked.

Helen could see that he was still surprised at her choosing him. He'd changed and maybe that was why her heart and head were arguing so much right now over this decision. "I care for you both dearly…I would give my life for either of you, but you and I, John…" She paused for a moment, searching for the right words. "Maybe it hasn't always seemed right… It was right before in London…and I feel like it's right now."

"I did you wrong so many times, Helen," John argued with her. "Energy elemental or not. I wasn't strong enough…"

"You were desperate some times, but you always loved me, didn't you?" Helen asked. She knew the answer. The whole of The Five knew how John operated while they were all alive, though she tried not to be there when they talked about him. It was far too hard then. How she wished that they could know that that really hadn't been John. She could remember all the times John had showed up over the decades…but she wasn't going to regret this decision. She knew in her heart that it was the right one.

"For all eternity," he whispered as he stared at her. "I was never there for you or Ashley…" he brought up a moment later.

"You weren't well then," Helen said. "And when you could control it…you tried…"

"I have missed so much…"

Helen reached out and cupped his cheek with the palm of her hand. "You're making up for it now with Halia."

"Halia," he breathed. "What she must think right now…"

"Will and the others are keeping an eye on her," Helen told him. "Henry's probably already out taking her on that college tour. I think he and Kate were supposed to take her. She probably doesn't even realize how long we've been missing. And plus, they'll make up a reasonable excuse for our extended absence."

John nodded and then leaned in to kiss her forehead. "I have missed you, Helen…"

"Trust me, John," she whispered.

"You know I do."

She was used to being a bit taller. John was quite tall and normally she wore heels…but they'd confiscated her clothing and her footwear when she'd arrived and not returned her exact outfit. Now, she was several inches shorter and it felt a bit odd. "You're much taller than I remember," she teased lightheartedly and smiled brightly up at him.

John smiled down and leaned down to kiss her. At first, they were both a bit reluctant. It had been some time since either was so fully willing, heart and all, to be so intimate with one another.

She elevated on her tiptoes as she initiated another kiss. Her hand wrapped around his neck to steady herself. Helen pushed back the thoughts that kept floating about, all the 'what ifs' and banished them. She needed to stop thinking…she just needed to allow this moment to happen.

To drop all of her walls…

To let go of everything…

To stop thinking…

To let the world around her go…

. . .

Helen was thankful that at least they were afforded privacy. She moved a tiny bit closer to John, his warm flesh warming her. She'd woken up after she'd heard something, though it was just noise in the hallway outside of the room.

"Sleep," John whispered.

She tightened her hold on him and tried to push out their current situation. It wasn't easy, but she just wanted to live in that façade for a few more minutes. "I can't…"

His hands were running through her hair and she had to admit, she felt safe there with him. Maybe it was because he was currently holding her. Maybe it was just the situation. Whatever it was, she was glad that she was remembering. She was glad that John was there.

"We're going to get out of here," John told her.

"I know."

"Just going to have to allow some time to pass for your teams to find us," John said.

That was still something she wasn't sure about. "Do we really know how much time has passed? Nikola has been trying to keep track of time, but he can't even be sure if it's been a week or a month…"

"It was easier to keep track of days when that hole in the ceiling wasn't covered, though you weren't quite as warm then," John pointed out.

It was all so frustrating and probably why she was so torn about things, even now. "We should probably get dressed…" she suggested after another moment. In truth, she just wanted to stay there and pretend that they weren't being held captive.

John pulled her tightly against his body and kissed her forehead, her cheeks, and then finally kissed her lips. "I know you're worried," he whispered against your lips. "You needn't be."

Helen's eyes teared up a bit. It had been some time since she could feel this absolutely exposed with John. Sometimes she forgot just how much he (and Nikola) knew her. How much they knew each other. She stared up into his eyes and found herself reminded that he and Nikola were the only reasons she was probably so sane now…and probably the reasons why she remembered who she was and who they were.

"If we've conceived another child…" she barely managed to get out somewhat calmly. Her hands went down to her abdomen and she closed her eyes. It was like she could see inside her body and know what was happening. She was a doctor; after all, she knew the cycle of life and the process of forming something that went from looking like a tadpole to a baby. It was almost too painful to think about. Though she'd resigned herself to this, she still found her mind fighting it.

"I told you," John told her calmly. "I will not let any harm come to you or this child… I will end the life of every miserable person in this facility if I have to…"

His voice didn't quite darken. He'd turned quite serious though and she had no doubt that he and Nikola would do what they thought was right, even if it resulted in them murdering somewhat innocent people.

"Do you trust me?" he asked.

Normally this was a question that she often asked. But trust was the reason she was there right now. "Yes," she breathed. She was pulled up a bit so that their heads were right next to one another. He kissed the side of her head lovingly and she had to admit that there was something so comforting about this.

"Your teams from the Sanctuaries are looking for you…for us," John whispered to her as he rocked her slowly. "Maybe not Nikola…but they know that we're missing." And that was true. She knew that. She and John had been out, like normal people, going to eat lunch together. He'd taken them to a place they both remembered. "Your protégé doesn't like doing all your paperwork, remember? I'm sure that's motivation enough to find us."

"We've been gone for days…"

"A week, most likely," he told her. "But your people love you, Helen. They won't stop looking for you until they find you."

"Smith said that it was highly unlikely that they'd find this place. That the only way would be if they were to let one of us go. It sounded like it would give the Sanctuary a vague marker to start looking, but that it was more just a small risk he didn't want to take," Helen told him. A kiss was placed on her head again. She sucked in breath and tried to focus on this moment, on John. It would make things so much easier if she could, if she could stay completely focused within that moment.

"Just remember one thing, Helen. I love you," he whispered. "And though I hate to say this aloud, Nikola does as well. I think we both know that. He would be nutty right now if you hadn't finally remembered him…though maybe that wouldn't have been such a bad thing."

A smile came to her lips and she leaned in and pressed a quick kiss to his lips. "He would be absolutely intolerable if that were the case."

"I thought he already was?"

She laughed for a moment. He was absolutely right. Helen stared at him and then reached out to touch his face. Seriousness touched her and she found herself unable to stop what came next. "I love you, John," she whispered. And it was true. Even if her brain wanted to fight that statement, it was true. In her heart, even though there'd been so much hate and sadness between them, she couldn't honestly deny that.

"For all eternity."

She nodded a bit. "Yes. For all eternity."

. . .

TBC…