A/N Warning: There is an animal death, but not graphic.

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Syfy.

The lab room was dark, the only light was a soft glow from the monitors at the console where Dr Bering sat, her eyes trained on the pacing monkey in the cage before them.

"Big Mac's" Pete's voice breaking the silence as he came into the room, holding up the bag of greasy burgers. He leaned in, kissing Myka's cheek, her head still forward, and her eyes never leaving the pacing primate.

"He's manic, that's what's so strange, no fall off in activity," Myka said, shaking her head.

"So what went wrong?" Pete asked, handing the burger over to Steve next to him on the couch, "Leena?" he asked, holding the carton up to her.

"His blood pressure is still up, he hasn't slept for fifty some hours, he has been getting uglier and uglier" Leena said as she paced the room.

"Fifty six," Steve replied.

"And then, last night, he turned on Betty," Leena sighed.

"He tore her apart and then he ate her," Steve mumbled, tossing his burger aside.

"He loved Betty," Leena said, still pacing the room.

"You thought he loved Betty," Pete mumbled through a mouth full of burger.

"Okay, let's get the old video equipment in here," Myka said, slapping the console as she got up.

"I could kill him," Leena muttered, Myka standing near the glass as the primate lunged at her from behind the glass, her flinching at the snarling fangs.

"Careful, Leena. That's a two thousand dollar monkey you are talking about," Pete was saying as he wiped some of the special sauce from his chin.

Myka stared down the monkey, "Don't you snap at me you little son of a bitch," whispering under her breath.

…

The bookstore was unusually crowded Helena noticed, waiting for the sales clerk to wrap up the book she had just purchased. Her eyes rose to the monitor above the shelf, there she was, leaned over a desk, signing her books for the throngs of people.

Helena smiled, taking her package from the clerk, and then walking up the stairs to the second floor toward the book signing. She moved stealthily through the crowd, stopping just a few lengths away from the curly haired doctor who was engrossed in her task.

Helena stared at the beauty before her, her mind willing the younger woman to raise her head,

"I'm sorry, what did you say?" Myka feeling a rush of warmth to her cheeks as her eyes met the dark obsidian eyes.

"Nothing, but I would like to talk with you," Helena smiled.

"Okay, um, yes, I would like that," Myka's cheeks warming by the second, swallowing hard at her being unable to release her stare from the alluring woman.

"Excuse me, but could you make it out to Lily Beth?" the elder woman's face filling her sight, shaking Myka out of her trance. Helena just smiled and turned away.

Myka sighed, then putting on her best fake smile as she signed the book, her eyes darting up, catching the fleeting figure descending the stairs.

…

"Park West," Helena told the taxi driver as she settled into the back of the cab, smiling to herself at the blush she had elicited from the young doctor, pools of green flooding her thoughts.

A fleeting view of Nat, sitting in front of the TV, some loud cartoon filling the room snapped Helena out of her thoughts as she entered the hospital. Walking down the hall, she flinched and moved to the side as a patient, blood IV attached, was wheeled by her.

After receiving directions to the research office of Dr Bering, she chanced a look at a room she was passing by, a man was getting into bed; the image of Nat lying down flooded her inner sight.

Helena was a bit disheartened when she had reached the office, finding out that Dr Bering was busy, she sighed and repressed her frustration as she met with one of Myka's research assistants.

"And have you found a correlation between blood types and aging?" she asked the young doctor who met with her. He droned on about the research, blood types and medical research, Helena shaking her head no to an offer of coffee from the man.

"Blood type, how long you sleep and how deeply, do affect aging. Why, we have even had results with monkeys, but we are long way from promising everlasting life," he smiled.

"Thank you, Dr Jinks," Helena smiled curtly as he escorted her to the elevators.

…

Nat was settled into his chair, the long ago abandoned book resting on his lap as he ran his fingers through his hair, "Look, my hair keeps falling out," he said as Helena squeezed his arm. "Tell me, why are these books so badly written, I wonder,"

She stopped in front of the window, staring out as she spoke, "I've been there, they know nothing," she sighed.

"Tell me, how long did the others take?" Nat asked, watching as Helena frowned at him, turning to walk into the other room.

"I don't know, a few weeks?" Helena's back to him as she put out her cigarette.

"You must remember, Helena. I know it is a long time but it is something you don't forget," Helena only turning her head to his words.

"Giselle, how long did she take?' he asked somberly.

"A week, a few days. I don't remember," Helena's eyes downcast as she spoke. "She fed but she couldn't sleep,"

"And the one before that?" Nat asked as he got up, slowly walking to Helena.

"The same, always the same. I prayed that I wouldn't lose you. I live with your suffering, again and again. I hoped that through some small miracle of science, I would not lose you" keeping her back to Nat, hoping her face and voice did not betray her.

"Come here," Nat whispered as Helena turned to face him.

"And who is next? Have you thought about that?" Helena's face turned cold at his words, her anger boiling inside her. "Who's going to keep you company when I am gone?" his words biting at her as she moved past him. "I'm sure you have thought about it. Who, is it to be, Claudia?"

Helena reined her fury as she started up the stairs, "Stop it," she growled under her breath.

"Look at me," Nat's voice rising as Helena looked over her shoulder.

"Helena! What am I going to do?" Nat shouted as Helena slammed the door to her bedroom. Her thoughts jumping back to the first one, he chained to the bed, yelling and pleading with her.

The crash of the book, the shattering of broken glass filled the house as Helena sunk to her knees.

…

The rain was coming down in sheets as Nat got out of the cab, shaking his coat just before he entered the building. He made his way to the reception area, asking where to find Dr Bering.

He moved through the hallways, passing cages of test animals, his head turning at the sound of a ringing phone and a female voice.

"Barbra, I'm going to see the finance committee so don't put anyone through unless it's an emergency, okay?" Myka was saying as she was busy gather up files around her desk.

Myka was looking in her compact, doing a once over before she left, the reflection of a man causing her to turn.

"Don't be alarmed, my name Wells, Nat Wells," he was saying as he removed his fedora.

"How did you get in here, Mr. ?" Myka was startled and a bit shocked at the man that appeared out of nowhere in her office.

"Wells, Nat Wells," he said.

"You can't be in here Mr Wells, this is a restricted area," trying to maintain a steady voice at the stranger.

"I've been reading your book and I cannot lie, I have not read all of it," he said, putting his hat down on her desk.

"I'm just on my way out for an important meeting, Mr Wells," Myka said in a stern voice as she handed his hat back to him.

"You say that age is a disease, a disease that can be cured," looking at his hat as he spoke.

"Yes," Myka said, scurrying to gather her files.

"Do you seriously believe that?"

"Yes, I do, Mr Wells, but I am very late for a meeting on another floor so…" Myka was saying as she came around her desk, arms full of files as she adjusted her lab coat.

"Look at me, look at my hands. How old am I?" holding his hand toward the doctor.

"Their waiting," Myka said firmly.

"How old?" Nat said through gritted teeth. "These are liver spots, aren't they?" holding his hand up.

"Yes, they look like that," Myka trying to remain calm, her eyes wide.

"I didn't have them yesterday. Yesterday I was thirty years old. Do you understand? I am a young man,"

Myka soften at the fear she saw in the man's eyes, "Yes, well, I want you to wait for me, I'll be back in fifteen minutes and then we will run some tests," Myka smiled, leading the man out of her office.

"Why don't you have a seat and I will be with you as soon as I can," she said as she led them to a waiting room.

"Fifteen minutes," Nat was almost pleading as he grab Myka's arm. Her body relaxed a bit at the fear she saw in his eyes.

"I'll try, really, I have to go," she smiled as she left the room.

Nat held his hands behind his back, his legs just hitting against the leather couch in the waiting room, he finally sat down, back straight, as he looked at the clock.

"Hi Fred, this Dr Bering, I just had a nut job wander into my office… no no, don't break his legs, I'm fine. He seems harmless enough. I left him in the waiting room, just let him sit there for a while and he should get tired and leave," Myka said, then hanging up the phone in the outer office. She looked at the waiting room door, something about the man struck at her.

"Hey, you ready to wow the committee into forking over some money?" Pete's voice shaking Myka out of her thoughts, gathering her files, she headed down the hall.

Nat sat up as the nurse opened the door, calling for a man that had been waiting near him. He sat back, sighing as he looked up at the clock. The sagging skin tighten as he gave a curt smile to the nurse in the waiting area.

Leena and Myka were sitting at the console, Pete leaning on Leena's chair as Steve paced the room, all were reviewing the tapes of the monkey, "Effective age at this point, fifty five," Leena was saying as they watched the tape.

"And what's that in human terms?" Pete asked.

"Equivalent to around ninety two,"

"Here he is in his seventieth hour," Myka was saying, watching the monkey age before them. "That is when the first degenerative changes are seen and he is aging at approximately five years per minute,"

Nat looked at the picture he had kept in his pocket; the one Claudia had taken of him just a few days ago. As he took off his hat, his fingers laced at the hair still inside the hat.

"Steve, what were the results of that blood test?" Pete asked.

"The cells had lost their ability to maintain oxygen,"

"And life signs terminate right here," Myka turning her head, wiping a tear away from her cheek, her hand gripping Leena's shoulder as she started to cry softly. The primate then rapidly decomposing just as the tape ended.

"Sir, excuse me, sir? Would you like a cup of coffee?" The nurse's voice breaking Nat's thoughts, he turned, seeing that he had been in that waiting room for over two hours. He grab his hat, stood up, almost knocking the nurse over as he rushed for the door.

"It's your job. Just show them the tapes," Myka was saying to Pete as they walked down the hallway.

"You think so? Artie will have a heart attack at the money we are asking,"

"Pete, these tapes are worth a fortune. We have made history, we have shown that there is a clock, we have shown that it can be tampered with," Myka pleading with Pete. "Okay, I don't exactly understand how it works, but I am going to find out if it kills me,"

Myka stopped Pete, "We are talking about the secret of life and death here,"

"Oh, that's good, Artie will love that,"

"He's an idiot," Myka shot back.

"No, you're wrong darling, nobody with half a million dollars to give away is an idiot,"

"Look, we need this funding, we are so close," Myka pleaded.

Pete grabbed the tapes from Myka, leaning in as she kissed him, "Thanks,"

…

Nat looked at his reflexion in the mirror, his fingers tracing the wrinkles and sagging skin that now adorned his once, youthful face. The hunger was building inside, a raging need clawed at him. He eyed the young orderly who was washing up in the sink near him. He eyes trained on his neck, the pounding of each heart beat was deafening in his ears.

He ran his fingers over the medallion around his neck; his only thought was to feed. The sound of the toilet flushing caused his hand to still, the young man eyeing him as Nat buttoned his shirt, shrugging his long overcoat and rushing out of the bathroom.

He looked up at hearing Myka's voice down the hall talking with some curly hair woman. "I know, Pete was great, it was not as much as we hoped for but at least it will get us through next year" Myka was saying as she walked with Leena.

"Dr Bering?"

"Yeah?" Myka was smiling as she turned around to address the voice.

"You let me down, you didn't believe me," Nat was saying as he walked by the two women, heading down the stairs."You left me waiting for two hours,"

"I beg your pardon?" Myka said as she watched the old man walk by. "Mr Wells?" she stuttered as she started to follow the man.

"You said you had a meeting for fifteen minutes, you lied. You thought I was some ridiculous old crank,"

"Mr Wells, wait,"

"Wait? I can't wait. I am urgently required elsewhere," Myka rushing behind him as they went down the stairs.

"Mr Wells, wait. Why don't you come into my office?" Myka was rushing as Nat got into the elevator.

"Why don't you take a seat in the patient lounge," he said as he put his hat on. The door closing, Myka then hitting the button to open the doors, her face frozen as she looked at the weathered face.

"You can't leave," her eyes wide as the door closed.

Nat rushed out onto the wet streets, he mind fighting at the incessant hunger clawing at the pit of his stomach. He was in a daze as he rushed through the crosswalk, almost getting hit by a cab.

He was rushing through Central park when the low drum of the music flooded his ears, he followed as it lead him into the tunnel, a young man, on roller skates, was dancing to the loud music, unaware of Nat sneaking up on him. He waited till the young man came close enough so Nat could grab him.

A scuffle ensued, the boy no match for Nat's strength, but the skates caused the boy to fight and slip away just as Nat's blade pierced his neck.

"You cut me! You fucking cut me," the boy was yelling as Nat ran out of the tunnel. The hunger was now all consuming.

…

Claudia stood on the steps, ringing the bell incessantly, she was just about ready to turn and leave when a rough voice answered, "Yes, what do you want?"

"Um, hi, I have an appointment with Helena… um, I mean Mrs Wells,"

"There's nobody here," the rough voice said.

"Oh, my name is Claudia Donovan and I tune with the Wells every Monday, Wednesday and Fridays," she said through smacks of her gum.

"It's Tuesday,"

"Oh, I know, I just wanted to tell Helena, that I can't come tomorrow, um, Mrs Wells," Claudia rolling her eyes. "On account of some dumb lecture I got suckered into at school,"

"She's not here. I told you, no one is here,"

"Well, maybe I can leave a note?"

The door buzzed, clicking open. Claudia rolled her eyes, again, as she went inside.