A/N: And again Misery Loves Sarah helped me a lot! Thank you :)

Disclaimer: I don't own anything, Sanctuary is not from me...

12 years earlier

Helen crossed the wide lobby and entered the ball room. Her long blue dress swept the ground lightly with every step she took and covered her long legs with smooth fabric. Her hair cascaded down her shoulders in soft curls. Earrings and a light touch of make-up completed her outfit for this evening.

The event was a ball for a chosen group of people in Berlin. The organizer, a good friend of Helens, had invited her because of the rich and powerful people she might find here to support her projects and facilities. She really needed the help, especially since the incident with the hollow earth abnormals three years ago and the new conflict threatening her Sanctuary network.

Despite that, Helen hoped to be able to relax a little, even if it was just for two hours. She'd had a lot to handle recently. Henry and Erika's two year old son had shown signs of his parents' gift and Will and Abby were going on their honeymoon very soon. Therefore, with Will and Henry off the job, Helen was forced to find a substitute for them.

Suddenly, somebody tapped her on the shoulder and pulled her from her thoughts. Startled, Helen jumped as if she had done something wrong.

"If you continue to just stand here you'll miss a great party, darling" a teasing voice informed her. Helen turned and found herself face to face with a middle-aged man. His brown hair was cut short and his green eyes looked at her sheepishly.

"Robert, how good to see you. How can you be sure I'm missing it? Perhaps I'm waiting for somebody," she asked him, a cheeky smile on her face. Robert's eyebrows shot up in disbelief.

"Oh, it seemed like you were rather lost in your thoughts. But if you're already occupied I shall not bother you any longer." He looked at her with a questioning look, waiting for her to turn him down.

"You know, Robert." Helen said, an amused smile crossing her futures. "If you want to dance with me you just have to ask. I'd drop every man for you." Grinning she took his arm and let him lead her to the dance floor.

"Ah, my love, you should know I'm not a man of many words." They took positions and he began to lead her through the steps. Dancing was one way to make sure they wouldn't be interrupted by others.

"By the way, how do you like my little party?" Robert asked her curiously.

"It's lovely. And thank you for the invitation, gave me an excuse to go out."

"You work too much, my dear!" He shook his head to underline his opinion. "I'd have gone crazy a long time ago if I were you."

"Luckily, you aren't. And it's not as bad as you might think." Turning her gaze away from him she signaled for him to drop the topic.

They'd known each other for some time now and Robert was smart enough to let it be. Even though they were good friends he wasn't familiar enough with her work. She'd first met him eight years ago at a party of her friend Jane. One year later, Robert and Jane had married and he had been working with her since then. He had connected Helen with the right people.

Robert was a quiet and kind guy. He worked as an agent in Europe and organized different things for different people. Throughout the years their meetings had become more rare, but despite Helen's lack of time she had kept contact with the two of them by phone. Only three weeks ago she had spoken to Jane who was nearly four months pregnant.

"How is Jane doing?" Helen asked to break the tension between them. "Last time I spoke to her she told me about the ultrasound you were going to do."

"Yeah, she was so excited to know the gender of the baby she was like a child herself." He chuckled at the memory and looked at her happily. "We are going to have a beautiful daughter!"

"Oh, that's great. Congratulations!" They continued to dance, but Helen was thinking about Henry's son and Robert's soon to be daughter and soon her thoughts drifted back to Ashley.

Silence had fallen around them as they danced across the floor. The big ball room was full now, crowded by people in suits and dresses. The music changed and Robert lead her back to the edge of the hall.

"Would you like something to drink, darling?" Robert asked, turning back to her.

Helen who hadn't eaten anything since that morning felt the emptiness of her stomach at Robert's mention of drinks.

"Could you get us something to eat as well? I've grown very hungry." Robert only nodded in agreement and went seek out refreshments.

Helen, alone again, let her gaze wander over the crowd of people. She hoped to recognize one of them but none of the faces seemed familiar to her. Helen tried to focus at the conversations going on around her but everything was a chorus of loud voices, clinking of glass and music to which many couples still danced.

As a waitress passed her, Helen grabbed a glass of champagne and sipped from it. After more than seven minutes waiting, Helen grew impatient and began to look for Robert. She sighted him merely a few minutes later while he was standing in a very long queue near the counter. 'Great, that will take a while'. Sighing, Helen finished her drink and turned her attention back to the crowd.

She let her gaze once again wander over faces and clothes of men and women alike, but didn't recognized anyone. As Helen decided to give up and go to Robert a tall and handsome man caught her eye. Immediately her heart skipped a beat. Her breathing began to grow more rapid as her brain processed what this could mean.

That was impossible!

Slowly, very slowly, Helen took a few steps towards the man and stopped abruptly as he turned. She just starred at him, not making any move or sound.

Everything around her became unimportant and her gaze focused only at this one man who was surrounded by a group of black suited men. She didn't even hear the sound of her glass breaking on the floor when it slipped through her fingers.