Chapter 5
Helen arrived through the back alley entrance to the house, locking the gate behind her.
She had gotten out of the cab several blocks away, hoping to have lost any stragglers along the way.
The moment she stepped into the house her nose was filled with the most delicious scent. Nikola was cooking…at last she hoped he was.
"Nikola?" she called out.
She noticed her luggage was still in the front hall where she left it. She frowned.
"Welcome back," he sauntered out of the kitchen, his sleeves rolled up and he was wearing an apron.
She turned to him and scowled.
"I give you one task to do and you can't even manage that," she glared at him.
"Hey, I made dinner," he shrugged.
"That's not what I asked, now go use that vampiric strength of yours and move my bags up to my room or I'm going back to the hotel, free meal or not," she ordered. "I'll keep an eye out on whatever's on the stove."
He whined and lumbered over to the bags.
"You try to do something nice…" he muttered.
"Try doing what you're told," she teased, pulling off her hat and gloves and entering the kitchen.
It smelt even better in there.
"What are you cooking?" she called to him through the door.
"Pasta," he called back.
"Really?" she lifted the lid in the sauce and inhaled.
"Don't touch anything! You're British instincts will be to bland everything!" he joked.
Helen put the lid back.
"Just asking," she scooched herself on to the countertop and noticed a little notebook lying next to the stove. Her curiosity overruled her and she picked it up, scrolling through its pages.
Nikola entered the kitchen a few minutes later.
"Hey, hey! Put that down!" he sprinted over and made a grab for the book.
"Whose is it?" she held the book out of his reach.
"The original recipes belonged to my mother, some are from people I've met in my travels, but most of them are sworn secrets, put it down!"
Helen giggled and handed him the book.
"Thank you," he snatched it back and tucked it in the pocket of his apron.
"Really, Nikola, your love for your mother is really quite adorable," she teased.
"Oh really, and what about you Daddy's princess?" he teased.
"It's completely different," she crossed her arms defiantly.
"Right, I have a book full of some of my mothers best recipes, while you carry an entire case full of his files and journals which you put in the hotels safe," he teased.
"You bastard, you peeked!" she looked at him in shock.
"You left it out in the open, just like I did my notebook, don't even pretend to take the high road on this one. We are both creatures of curiosity. We like to know things even when we're not supposed to," he leaned in a bit closer. "We get a certain thrill from it."
Helen knew he was not talking about the notebooks anymore.
"Your water's boiling," she said to him before he got any closer.
"What?"
"You're water's boiling," she reiterated, nodding her head towards the stove.
He snapped to the pot.
"Oh damn!" he quickly grabbed an oven mitt, while simultaneously turning off the heat. He grabbed the pot quickly and brought it over to the sink.
Helen laughed watching him scuttle about.
He managed only to spill a little on the floor. She hopped off the counter and decided to assist in the clean up.
"Nikola, why'd you go through all the trouble to make dinner?" she asked casually.
"I was bored waiting for you, and I thought you might be hungry, so…I haven't cooked in a long time, I quite enjoy it actually," he smiled at her softly. " Call it a thank you/apology type of thing. Since you're helping me the least I can do is make you a decent meal."
Helen nodded.
"So, what happened at the hotel?" He changed the subject. "Does Mr. Handsome think we're…?"
"He thinks I am who I claim to be," she took plates out of the cupboards as she talked. "I made him think you were some kind of head over heels romantic stalker."
"Oh, how lovely," he muttered.
"It was the only way I could justify him to use me as bait," she shrugged.
"Oh, so we're playing the working for the other guys gambit?" he finished draining the pasta."
"Wine?" Helen suggested.
"Perfect," he nodded, finding serving bowls for the pasta and sauce he he'd made. "So, I'm after you because…"
"I'm the damsel in distress of your dreams," Helen chuckled dryly. "We met a week ago at a party, you were the only English speaking attendee. We dance, I talked, and from that you made a connection. He surmised that you think I'm just as trapped as you are, a kindred spirit of sorts."
"Basic psychology," he shrugged in agreement, following her out to the table and placing the food items on its surface.
"From there you left me a clue in our little meeting yesterday to meet you at the music festival this Saturday so we can steal away together in the dark of the night," she continued as she went to fetch a bottle of red.
"That seems likely, you know how I adore adventure and forbidden love affairs," he chuckled with a slight leer.
"It may be our best way around it…I'll know more after my date with Dr. Parsons tomorrow," she poured both of them a glass of the wine and sat down at the table.
"So, that's what his name is," he smirked as he sat down. "You're really going to play up this ruse?" he asked, accepting his wine from her.
"I think it's our only chance to get this problem off your back without them finding you again," she sighed. "I mean, what ever they want you for they want it badly."
"So, what's the plan?" he looked at her honestly.
"Well, we either play into his game and you get captured, an we learn what this whole thing is about or…"
"Or?" he prodded her to continue.
"Or we steal away into the night," she finished.
He watched her carefully for a moment as she began to serve herself.
"You're really going on a date with him?" he asked eventually.
"Yes, it seems you're not the only one whose taken a liking to me," she shrugged.
"How do you intend to play it?" he asked.
"Well, Helena Heathering has been leading a rather boring life so far with a husband who's never around. This is the most exciting thing that's ever happened to her…and this Dr. Parsons is looking like her ticket out."
"So, you're going to play him like you're supposed to play me?" he grinned.
"Exactly," she grinned back.
"You evilly clever woman," he raised his glass to cheer her.
"I'm hoping I can convince him to trust me, maybe get him to tell me the extent of this operation. So far all he's told me is this delightful story about you being a deranged defector from the American Military with secrets you intend to sell to the enemy…a colorful tale but you are hardly military."
Nikola chuckled.
"It looks like I'm getting captured this Saturday," Nikola leaned back in his chair.
"That all depends on what they plan to do to you," she warned him cautiously.
"I'm sure you'll find out…once you cuddle up to the big guy," Nikola teased.
"I don't want to do too much cuddling. I'm hoping he's the sentimental type," Helen took a generous sip of wine.
"Helen, I won't let him near you like that, I promise," Nikola reached a hand over to her and brushed hers gently.
"It's funny, he said the same thing about you," Nikola retracted his hand. "Nikola…this…this meal is delicious, thank you," Helen switched the subject again.
"You like it? I stole it off of Gertie's fridge while she was darning my socks."
This caused Helen, inexplicably, to sputter with laughter.
~~~~Meanwhile~~~~
Dr. Parsons sat in the bare room of the hotel, his henchmen all around him. They were all doing something, they were on the phone with the officials, recording conversations, making plans, all while he sat in the large chair in the corner.
He was deep in thought.
"How much did he hear?" he asked out to the group.
"We don't know sir, we can only guess," answered one of them.
"How could you not have seen him?" cried Parsons.
"He must've been wearing a disguise, or come in through the service entrance, all we know is that he was there and he knew you were talking to the woman. He left that note for you in reception."
"It was a distraction, but a distraction from what?"
Suddenly, the one they called Warnsworth came in excitedly with a file folder of developed photos.
"Doctor! I know where he was!" he ran up to him and handed him the folder. "I decided to follow the woman, Helena, thinking she might lead me to him…and I was right. He was waiting for her two blocks away."
The Doctor sat up and examined the photos.
"It seems she stopped a moment to converse with him, he offered her a sweet, actually several. Then he kissed her and dashed off. He got to far away before I could catch up."
"Excellent work Warnsworth, these are perfect," grinned Parsons.
"So, do you think they're in on it together?" asked Warnsworth.
"No, Helena's a clever girl, she probably batted her eyelashes and told him what he wanted to hear. Buttering him up for their meeting at the music festival. Brilliant!" he smirked. "It also explain why he gave us that distraction, he wanted to talk to her alone."
"So what do we do, sir?" asked Warnsworth.
"We go on with the plan, you Warnsworth, I'm appointing you as Helena's keeper. Follow her movements from here on out," he ordered.
"But I don't know…"
"I know you don't know where she lives, that's fine, she's coming tomorrow evening to further discuss our plans, tail her then."
Warnsworth nodded.
"Yes sir."
"And Warnsworth, keep showing initiative like this and you might get promoted," he patted the man on the shoulder.
His face lit up like a Christmas tree.
"Really?" he asked.
"Maybe, now return to your post."
Warnsworth nodded and rushed out with excitement.
The Doctor sighed and drank his brandy, staring at one of the photos. It was of them kissing. There was something odd about it. Of course it wasn't a deep kiss, just a simple peck on the lips, but he couldn't place it. It didn't seem right.
He put it back down and sighed. This schoolteacher kept getting more and more interesting.
~~~~Elsewhere~~~~
Helen was in her nightgown, brushing out her reddish-brown hair, it was starting to grow out more, though it wasn't quite the length it used to be. She both missed and loather her long blonde curls. Nikola had whimpered quite pathetically when she had cut it, he had always loved her blonde hair, but shortly after got used to the red, still saying he'd prefer as a brunette. Now that she looked at the fading color she happened to agree with him, brown hair would be much more suiting for her.
She sighed and put down the brush on the vanity.
She hated it when he was right.
Her mind was still on that moment when Nikola had pecked her lips on the street. They hadn't spoken about it all evening and she wondered why, she knew he was teasing her, it was just a kiss; ever since the early 1900's he'd been trying to steal kisses from her. It was a game. But this time she wondered if it was a game, part of the ruse, or was he being playful for a reason. Was he worried about her? He'd followed her to the hotel and had waited for her, and then when he had touched her hand during dinner.
It all brought back memories, memories of their long and complicated relationship with each other. It reminded her of Oxford, of their time on that blasted ship, of Egypt, all the times they were on the cusp of something but both backed away when it got too much.
But that didn't stop the memories. Her face felt flushed and she felt hot all of a sudden.
She stood up and went to the bathroom to pour herself a glass of water. She couldn't have been gone less than three minutes and when she returned he was there, lounging on her bed, as casual as ever, with that same smirk.
She nearly spilt water down the front of her.
"Gah! I hate it when you do that!" she growled.
"I just wanted to see how you liked the room," he eyed her in her nightgown and she glared at him.
"I'm sure," she put the cup down and wiped off the dribble that had splashed onto her chin. "I'm fine, get out now."
"Not yet," he sat up a bit. "I have just a few queries, then I'll be out of your hair."
"Can they wait till morning?" she groaned.
"Unfortunately not," he said without hesitation. "Now, first question, when is your date with Dr. Dangerhunk?"
"Dr. Parsons, his name is Dr. Parsons," she rolled her eyes. "And I'm to meet him at eight."
"Good. Where?" he continued, ignoring her looks of frustration.
"In the lounge at the hotel," she answered.
"What will you be wearing?"
"What does that have – Oh no! No, no no! You are not coming! You are staying here!" she waggled a finger.
"Helen, I don't trust these guys…I won't be at the table behind you in a fake beard, just close enough in case something goes wrong,"
"I don't want you screwing anything up, just stay here, I'll be fine," she groaned, wanting to throw her brush at him.
"I won't blow your precious cover story, but in case Dr. Evil-Blonde gets any ideas I want to be there, I don't trust him with your safety," he shrugged.
"Concerned for my safety, are you?" she teased sardonically.
"Somebody has to," he muttered.
Helen scoffed and walked up to him slowly.
"You wouldn't happen to be the teeniest, tiniest, littlest bit jealous would you?" she leaned over him, her hands coming to rest on the edge of the bed.
"Jealous of what?" he tried not to look at her chest which she was just pushing out ever so prominently.
"Dr. Parsons," she accentuated the P in the name. "Are you scared he might be more man than you are?"
Nikola's head snapped to her, his eyes meeting hers fiercely.
"Never!" he snarled. "I'm not jealous, I'm just making sure you don't sell me out, that's all."
Helen leaned lower.
"Liar," she accused. "You're jealous. Jealous he might get a kiss; jealous that he'll get to flirt and be flirted back to. Jealous that he might be able to make me drink one drink too much and then get to truly enjoy my company."
Cruelly she lifted a hand to caress his cheek gently. She pretended not to notice how his Adam's apple bobbed as she touched him.
"You, Nikola Tesla, are insanely jealous, and you want to be there to be able stop anything from happening to me because you certainly don't want it to be happening to him," she teased and leaned in further. "You're so cute when you're jealous."
Her voice was low and sultry, she could hear him try to suppress a groan. This was payback for all the times he had toyed with her in the exact same manner.
"What is it Nikola? Don't trust me to hold my liquor and just jump the first man I see? Maybe it will be that one man, sitting behind me…with the fake beard."
She dropped her hand from his cheek and leaned in so close that if she spoke too much, their lips would caress each other.
He was so distracted by how close she was he didn't see her hands fisting the quilt he was sitting on.
"Do you feel unappreciated Nikola? Would a kiss make it better?" she continued to tease him.
He refused to say anything but his eyes darted from her to her lips.
"A little payback from earlier, when you stole that kiss from me," she grinned slightly, watching his face go from aroused and flushed to pale and fearful, realizing she had trapped him.
Helen leaned that fraction closer.
"Get off my bed, Nikola," she whispered, their lips just brushing. Before he could comprehend she had forcefully yanked the quilt out from under him causing him to spin wildly and go flying off the other end of the bed, landing on the floor with a hard thump.
He groaned.
"Ow," he muttered, lifting himself off the bed.
She chuckled triumphantly.
"You are a cruel, cruel woman," he glared at her.
"And you're a bit of a creep, but you don't hear me complaining," she teased. "Now get out of my room or I'll shoot you again."
He stood up as she put the quilt back on the bed and crawled under it.
"You can't get rid of me that easily…I'll still be there, you won't know where, you won't even suspect, but I'll be there…to save you when you need me," he grinned widely. "Now that I know you want me."
He dashed out of the room before she could whip her gun out from under her pillow.
Helen managed to toss the pillow at him, hitting him in the butt on his way out.
"Cheeky bastard," she grumbled, forcing her smile down. She wanted to be annoyed, not amused.
She would just have to make the show extra good for him then.
~~~~Author's Notes~~~~
New chappies are fun aren't they?
My updates are probably going to become less and less frequent for the next few weeks. School is beyond insane, but i thought you might enjoy an update before things go cray-cray!
Here it is, some Teslen fun for all my little fic readers...i'm sorry if that sounds condescending...it's ok, you be my Fic Readers of Sheer Unenfetter'd AWESOMENESS!
Ok, so my naming skills are on par with Nikola's give me a break, I'M CRAZY!