"Helen." The way he said her name sent shivers down her spine. She was able to keep her voice even before, but she wasn't so sure she could keep it that way. "Why is it you never seem happy to see me?" His voice was just like she remembered it, silky with power and loose with control. "Hmmm?" He questioned and the timbre of his voice rose slightly.

"I don't know what you are referring to, John." She fiddled with the folders on her desk ignoring him outwardly, yet still keeping as close an eye on him as possible.

"Of course you do, Helen." He was standing next to her in an instant, his body towering over hers. He didn't touch her; he didn't want to scare her off just yet. "You're beautiful when flustered."

"I'm sure." Normally, over a century ago, she would have pouted had he said that. Now she just wanted to avoid him at all costs. She took a deep breath and started, "What are you here for, John? There's no global emergency, the blood I gave you should last for a few hundred more years and Nikola's not around, so no need to protect me from him."

"Just a visit, that's all. I thought I'd come home for a bit, see you."

"Oh for heaven's sake, John, why are you really here?"

"You wound me, darling!" The look he gave her was the same one he had given her all those years ago when they'd first been sent after Adam Worth. He was enjoying this battle of tongues they had started.

"Really, John, like I could harm you in any way."

His look turned dangerous; she had hit a nerve. "Oh, but you have, love. You have hurt me many, many times. Sleeping with James for instance, letting him touch you. And Nikola, don't even start me on that bore. Who else was there Helen? Hmmm? Nigel perhaps, did that old goat bed you as well? Perhaps young William has become your newest concubine. Adam was right; you are nothing better than an old dirty and used rag."

"John. Stop. Honestly, you still believe we were meant to be together?"

"Of course we are, love." His voice softened and he melted into his memories. "You're always smarter and quicker than me, surely you can see it. I want a family, I want you, Helen. All I've ever wanted is you."

"John," she quieted to try and make her point, "you will never have me. We are not meant for each other." He began to calm, but only slightly, his eyes becoming tender as they caressed over her body, memorizing all the changes in it he could find. Helen closed her eyes against the feeling, the warming in her blood, God, could she make it stop?

The next thing she knew was the feel of his fingers gently pushing back a lock of her hair. "I like you better as a blonde, brings out your eyes, your…innocence."

"I'm hardly innocent anymore, John. You made sure of that."

He tugged lightly on the tip of the strand he was holding in a warning to her, but she was beyond warnings. "Yes, it does seem I brought you into a new light, did I not?"

"You weren't the only one," she said it to anger him, and unfortunately it worked.

John clenched his teeth, his eyes narrowing and his hand fisting at his hips. He tightened his fingers and reached for her hair, turning her face to him harshly. He back handed her. Her voice cried out and she didn't turn towards him again.

He took in a deep breath, his nose pressed against her ear and his body curving against hers. Magnus was working hard to keep her heart rate steady and her breaths calm and was unable to focus on what he was doing "You were mine first, Helen." His lips locked on hers and she bit his tongue when it was shoved into her mouth. He pulled back the blood pouring from his mouth.

"After what you did to Ashley, how could you ever think I would love you again?" He hit her again and squeezed his fingers around her throat, tightening every time she attempted a breath. Helen clasped her hands tightly into his lapels holding on.

"You whore!"

Will heard the gunshot and ran towards the echo of the sound grabbing for a weapon of his own and calling out over the radio all in one swift move. He made for Magnus' study and slammed the door open. She was kneeling next to John's body, her fingers at his pulse and a bullet through the center of his forehead. "What the hell happened?"

She leaned back on her feet and looked Will up and down. "I fought back."