Angsty mcangsty burger, I know. Much thanks (and evil mutterings) to Emmy1512 and LoveActuallyFan for their nagging...

Hopefully going to get a start on part two in the next few days but I make no promises, I've got other things I really ought to go finish before uni starts back up.

Review and I'll get guilty and write more? :P

xx

"How did things go with the test subject John brought back from England?" she asked, placing a hand on the small of his back as she stood beside him. The tiny bit of contact made his heart leap despite the adrenaline he could smell in her veins. Her retrieval hadn't gone to plan then.

He probably would have known that if he hadn't locked himself away with John's orphan, running test after test in the hopes of having something to show her when she returned. But the truth was he could do nothing else. All of a sudden he had been worried for her, stupidly so because he knew she could take care of herself but worried none the less.

"Swimmingly," he replied, fighting the urge to turn and kiss her. "Behold images of a perfectly normal human being and I do mean both perfect and normal."

"Not a single genetic defect or latent abnormality in her DNA," she said in awe. Her scent was invading his every thought, making it hard to concentrate but he tried, fighting against the urge to ravish her.

"Makes me sleepy just looking at it." Safe, innocuous, normal, he decided. At least as far as responses could go.

"Assuming the other five test subjects are the same, what does the Cabal want with them? Genetic manipulation obviously but what kind? Effective gene therapy is hardly contingent on having flawless DNA," she continued, her fear in the project being overrun by the doctor within her. Same old Helen, he thought warmly.

"And they can't use the source blood to uncork their inner monster," he added, feeling himself being drawn into her sphere of intrigue.

"So what the hell do they want with them? And what does it have to do with Ashley?" He felt her turn and walk away and while he wanted to rush after her and comfort her, he knew she needed a little space right now.

"They're blank slates and I mean literally," she said suddenly and it all clicked into place.

"Right."

"I agree the Cabal's agenda revolves around using the Source blood."

"Of course."

"If they used it to create some new kind of abnormal, what good would it be having only one?"

"Flawless DNA would be easiest to over write."

"They're not trying to summon some a latent abnormality in their victims DNA."

"They want to insert a prexisiting pattern into their genetic code," he concluded and while he loved the way they finished each other's sentences, nothing penetrated the pure hatred he now felt for the Cabal. If they were evil and dangerous before, he now viewed them as the only human beings less worthy of support than that blasted Edison. Hell, he'd rather live out the rest of his days with only Johnny for company than let these bastards keep on living.

"They're making copies." He could hear the dread in her voice.

"And the question is, of what?"

He turned to her, unsure of what to say but the heartbreaking sadness in her eye told him what to do. Quickly he deposited his tablet on the nearest bench before walking back to her side, taking her hands in his.

"Helen," he said softly, giving her hands a little squeeze.

"I'll go and question the girl some more," she said. "Perhaps we can get a location from her and-."

He silenced her with a kiss, soft and sweet and meant to distract her. He pulled back, pleased when she seemed dazed by even the brief contact but then she smiled, the most breath taking, open of gestures and he wanted to kneel before her. How a creature like her, one so beautiful inside and out could smile like that at him was incomprehensible.

"How do you do that?" she asked softly, raising a hand to cup his cheek.

"Do what?"

"Know exactly how to calm me down."

Nikola chuckled.

"It's just one of my many talents," he confided with a wink. "I'll show you the rest later. But for now you have an evil genius to stop."

"Don't tell me you're planning on taking over the world too?" she quipped dryly and he let his head fall back, chuckling at her as he let his hands trail down her back to cup her buttocks lightly.

"So you admit I'm a genius?" he replied, giving her a gentle squeeze. He couldn't help but smirk at the way her heart rate increased.

"Undoubtedly," she replied huskily, grabbing his arms to steady herself. "Though I'd be much obliged if you'd give me reason to drop the 'evil' from that equation. I can't be spending all my time thwarting all your plans."

"Do that thing with your tongue again and I'll happily stop," he said with a waggle of his eye brows. "Though I have to ask, what makes you so certain you'd be able to thwart me? And don't say your tongue."

She grinned.

"I'm going to let our history speak for itself."

"But then what will I do with my time?" he said with a mock frown.

"Don't worry," she said, patting his cheek condescendingly. "I've got plans for you."

"Why do I get the feeling most of these plans involve me tied to your bed?"

"Because you've always been able to read my mind," she whispered, leaning in to capture his lips in a kiss. Nikola reacted for a moment, devouring her lips like a dying man before pulling back, giving her a breathless smile.

"You have a belligerent young mercenary to question, remember?"

He saw her eyes harden though he knew it wasn't to shut him out.

"Would you like me to go instead?" he offered quietly, brushing a strand of hair from her cheek. "I could flash my claws, probably get her to spill all she knows a little more quickly. I can be very persuasive when I want."

She smiled weakly at his last statement but shook her head.

"No, keep working here. I'll be fine."

"Helen," he started, holding her closer.

"Really," she said, sounding a little more firm. "It'll be alright." Gently she pushed at his chest until his arms slipped from around her. She smiled weakly at him once more before leaning in to give him a soft kiss.

Letting out a little sigh, she pulled back looking a little more together than before.

"Go," he allowed with a sigh, shaking his head. "Before I change my mind and ravish you."

She laughed lightly at that.

"Hold that thought, would you?" she asked with a grin before turning and striding from the lab, leaving Nikola a little worried and a lot aroused.

"Once we gain access to the facility itself our first priority is any information leading to Ashley," Helen said as she checked her weapons. Since their chat in the lab, Nikola had had no chance to check how she was holding up though her eyes said it all. She was terrified. "We find evidence of kidnapped test subject even better."

"Retrieve the source blood and it's a grand slam?" Protégé asked.

"One thing at a time Dr. Expendable," Nikola drawled. "You know, this could be a trap."

Helen ignored him, focusing instead on the gun in her hand.

"Stay in radio contact," she ordered as Druitt closed in on himself and the protégé. The other man deposited them outside the warehouse and Nikola instantly felt lonely. He knew it would be only a matter of seconds bef-

"Thank you John," Helen said curtly, straightening herself out as she studiously avoided her ex-fiancé's eye.

Druitt bowed his head but said nothing, falling behind her as she led them towards the giant doors barely a hundred metres away. They moved in silence, Helen and Protégé grabbing their guns but Nikola couldn't take his eyes from their surroundings, figuring out every possible angle from which she could be killed.

It was odd, part of his mind recognised, that he had become so protective of her. He'd always felt it his duty to protect her in any way possible but this was more. This was an all consuming fear that made his heart beat faster. The only thing that comforted him was the fact that, finally and surprisingly, she was welcoming his advances. It made no sense to him, after all she hadn't been known for her logic when it came to matters of the heart but the idea that she saw how much he cared for her, recognised all that he could give her... It made him want to dance and shout and grin like the idiot he knew he wasn't.

Picking up the pace, Nikola fell into step beside her, allowing his fingers to brush against the back of hers. He heard her heart flutter at the contact but she made no outward display. Not that he expected one but as she took a spot by the door to the warehouse, he couldn't resist placing his hand on the small of her back. She swallowed and shot him a tiny smile and he felt joy burst forth from his soul. This was what he wanted, not to shove it in baldy's face, not to announce it to the world (though he'd not be averse to that either), he wanted her. He wanted her smiles, her kind words, her kisses.

And he wanted her daughter. He wanted to know the young woman who was so much a part of his Helen's life. He wanted to be friends with the one person who meant more to Helen than he knew he ever could. And, he mused, it was strange because that thought didn't even make him remotely angry. Ashley would always come first for Helen and he didn't resent it.

Pushing away this new revelation, Nikola focused instead on the task at hand. He'd never get to know Ashley if they couldn't find her.

Carefully the opened the door, walking in guns raised but in an instant Nikola knew there was something wrong. He looked to John, noting the fear in the other man's eyes.

"What the hell is this?" Protégé asked as they scanned the empty warehouse. Well, Nikola noted, empty except for the single security camera tracking their movements.

"It's a setup," Helen said, her bitter disappointment apparent.

Nikola was just about to say something, anything when there was a flash of red light. He thought for a second it was John playing games but out of the corner of his eye, Nikola could still see Druitt.

Ashley.

"Ashley, thank god," Helen began and Nikola opened his mouth to warn her. Something was very, very wrong, he could feel it. But then the girl teleported in front of her mother and he knew words were no longer necessary.

"What have they done to you?" she breathed and he noted the twitch in her fingers that meant she was seconds away from reaching for her daughter. Noting the blood red eyes, the tension in her body, the inhuman sneer Nikola felt his heart begin to break. They were too late.

"It's time you came home," Druitt said and despite the level of hatred he felt for the man, Nikola's heart went out to him. He was, in some way, losing his daughter too.

He watched as father and daughter battled, awed by her new found abilities but ready to throw himself in between Helen and the pair at a moment's notice. He knew John would probably not intentionally hurt Helen but he was a killer, a man who, in the heat of battle could focus on little else than subduing his opponent. Nikola was relatively certain he'd not harm his daughter more than strictly necessary but all it would take would be for Ashley to teleport at the wrong moment and one of those well placed kicks would send Helen sprawling.

The protégé was still holding his gun tightly, pointing it at the pair and Nikola felt certain that while he may not be able to stop the bullet, the young man would be a poor enough shot that there'd be no damage caused.

Just as John was thrown across the floor, breathless, Nikola stepped forward. He'd not let Ashley hurt them or herself.

"Ashley, listen to me," Helen said, stepping forward but he'd not allow her to endanger herself. Gently pushing her to the side, Nikola rolled his shoulders, letting his fangs grow and eyes darken.

"Manners young lady," he growled, stepping forward. His mind was whirling, trying to find the best way to pin her, allowing John time to get them out of there but before he could land more than a few meagre shots, Ashley threw him as if he weighed no more than a pillow.

"Will no!" he heard Helen scream, his head still spinning from the force of the blow but by the time he got his eyes open properly, he was back in the Sanctuary, John disappearing from sight.

In a second he was standing, ready to fight, to restrain, to comfort. He knew what John was going to do, even supported him in it but he knew Helen would not see it that way. She'd be mad, she'd be furious, she'd want to skin him alive but it was the right choice. There was nothing else they could do for her at this point but at least now they knew what they were dealing with.

"No John, please take me back," Helen screamed as she materialized with Protégé and John and it cut right through him. "Take me back!"

"She'll kill you," John tried, reaching for her but she turned away, tears beginning to roll down her cheeks.

"Henry get the EM shield up now," Protégé said, his breathing laboured as he took in the sight wide-eyed. Helen was pacing like a caged animal, her hands balled into trembling fists and Nikola knew she was fighting the urge to punch John.

"We had her, we found her," she wailed, her voice making his body ache. He yearned to go to her, wrap his arms around her and take away some of her pain. She didn't deserve to feel this wretched, not after all the wonderful things she had done in her life.

"What happened you guys were gone for like ten minutes?" Henry asked, looking just as worried as Will.

"It didn't go well."

"What in god's name have they done to her?" Helen breathed angrily, glaring at each and everyone of them as if they could provide her with the answer.

"Will?"

"She was waiting for us but it wasn't any Ashley you'd know," Protégé explained and Nikola was impressed by his tact.

"They used the source blood to change her," Nikola spat, rage fuelling his every word. "She's the only progeny of two source blood altered abnormals, smart move."

"It's not going to stop there," Helen reminded him, her voice shaking ever so slightly as she met his gaze. "They'll use the Montana test subjects to make copies. They'll be more just like her very soon."

With one last angry look around the laboratory, her eyes lingering on both Nikola and John for a fraction longer than anyone else, she turned, striding from the room. The clack of her boots on the polished concrete echoed about the room and for a few seconds, all the men stood rooted to the spot.

"What do we do?" Henry breathed eventually, looking to Will for answers. The two young men huddled around a computer, muttering to each other frantically.

In a second, Nikola made up his mind, starting towards the exit Helen had used only to be stopped by a large hand on his shoulder.

"Leave her be," John said softly, his voice quiet and menacing.

"No," Nikola hissed, spinning on his heel to glare up at the other man. "No, you leave her be. Stop this, stop chasing her in the vain hope that one day she'll turn around and relent. Stop hurting her."

"Do not even try to presume you understand our relationship," John growled, leaning down to glare at Nikola but he stood his ground.

"There is nothing to understand," he said firmly, unwilling to cower in fear. "You are hurting her Druitt, time and time again you come back into her life and hurt her. You claim to love her but I don't think you even know what that means."

"And you do?" Druitt roared, catching Henry and Protégé's attention but Nikola ignored their tense expressions.

"I do," he replied smoothly. "Why do you think I left all those years ago? Why do you think I keep leaving, time and time again? Because I can't keep hurting her, I won't allow it. I let her hurt in a small way so that I cannot hurt her the way you have done. She deserves more, she deserves better and I think, if you truly had a shred of decency in your worthless body, you'd stop hurting her. If you loved her, you'd give up this cat and mouse game and let her be at peace."

Without waiting for a response, Nikola turned on his heel and stalked from the room. He could hear John's laboured breathing, even feel the rage he was accumulating but he didn't care, he had to find her.

Setting off at a near run, he headed for the one place he knew she'd be. For as long as they'd known each other, if they ever needed to think or simply get away from the rest of the world, they both headed straight to the library. The first time they'd realised the similarity they held was after the Five had a fight, no one able to agree on anything and, eventually they'd all separated in anger. Nikola had been bursting at the seams, ready to rip off anyone's head so he'd gone to the library, certain the others wouldn't find him there. It wouldn't be the first time they'd assumed he fed the pigeons when upset.

He'd been wandering through the newly formed Medical Sciences racks, enjoying the smell of fresh leather and musty tomes when he'd run into her. The look of shock on her face had been almost comical but he'd simply held his hand out to her and, hand in hand, they'd strolled further and further into the great library, only coming to a stop when they found a pair of arm chairs buried deep within its bowels.

They'd say in silence for hours, not speaking, just holding hands as they let the silence calm them. They'd never spoken of it but, every time there was a fight between them, they always found themselves back in those old chairs, holding hands in the dim light.

As he approached the door, Nikola didn't even think to knock, certain she knew he'd be coming and he wasn't disappointed. She was sitting on the furthest sofa, ankles crossed and hands balled tightly in her lap as she stared at the wall. He began walking towards her, making sure to shut the door behind him only to almost trip over something in the half light. Looking down, he was surprised to see one of her boots on the floor but, a few metres away, there was the other. He kept walking, following the trail until he came to her jacket just by the foot of the sofa.

"Took you long enough," she growled out, turning to glare at him. She was wearing just her cotton singlet and spray on leather pants, everything else disposed of in favour of comfort.

Suddenly, she stood up, walking towards him and wrapping her arms around his shoulders.

"I need you Niko," she breathed against his neck. "I... I..."

"Shhh," he whispered into her hair, holding her tight. "I'm here, it's fine, you'll be fine."

"No I won't," she replied softly. "She's gone Nikola, she's gone and we..."

"We'll get her back," he swore, his voice getting caught in his throat. "I'll get her back and then kill the bastards who did this to her."

She chuckled weakly.

"Promise?"

"Promise."

She sighed, sinking further into his embrace for a moment before pulling back to look him in the eye. She said nothing, simply staring at him for a long minute before leaning in and closing the distance between their lips.

Nikola grabbed her waist, holding her firmly as he kissed her as thoroughly as he could. She reacted hungrily, threading her hands through his hair as she pushed her body even more firmly against him.

"Nikola?" she asked as he turned his attentions to her neck. "Please?"

He growled before suckling her pulse point, enjoying and lamenting the way she held him so very tightly. She was scared and frightened and alone and lonely and all he wanted to do was take it away, to make everything better for her.

"Niko," she breathed haggardly, tugging on his shoulders until the back of her legs hit the sofa behind them. "Please."

His heart shattered into a thousand pieces at the pure agony in her voice but unlike the other day when she ground herself against him almost violently, Nikola knew this was something other than a pure release. She needed someone to hold her, to love her, to tell her things were going to be alright even if they weren't ever going to be. But she didn't just need someone. She trusted him enough not to turn and run when this was over and while his mind was mostly consumed in his hasty undressing of her, what little sense he retained was awed by the gesture.

"More," she whispered, running her hands under his jacket and he pulled back just long enough for him to shed the tiresome item and for her to tug the cotton tank top over her head. For a long moment he just looked at her, his entire being aching to touch her. Then he realised he could and he dove in full force, filling his hands with her gloriously soft skin as his lips sought out hers once more.

She moaned against his lips, looping her arms around his neck as her mouth opened beneath his invitingly. Nikola focused for a second on kissing her, simply tasting her but then one of her hands made its way to his shirt, fumbling with the buttons awkwardly. He fought the urge to chuckle, instead pulling back until he could bat her hands away gently and take over.

Smiling softly, he worked each button loose but before he could make much progress she stepped closer, grabbing the edges of his shirt and ripping the fabric apart, buttons flying as she tugged it down his arms.

"You're too slow," she growled, her tone desperate but some of her usual playfulness in her eye. Letting his eyes fix on her chest, Nikola stepped back again before yanking his undershirt off, letting it fall to the ground with his dress shirt.

She smiled back as her hands flew to her pants, tearing them apart as his fingers began to fumble with his belt. She was finished before him, tossing the tight leather to the side and leaving her glorious legs bare to his eyes. Stretching, she reached behind herself for the clasp to her bra but Nikola's hand shot out before she could reach it.

Stepping closer he ran his hands down her arms before threading his fingers through hers.

"Breathe Helen," he instructed before pressing a gentle kiss to her lips. She sighed, eyes fluttering shut and he could just about feel her relax. Not completely of course but the way her body softened against his didn't escape his attention.

When he was satisfied she was distracted enough he released one of her hands, tracing a faint pattern up her side until he could flick open the clasp of her bra. She gasped against his lips but soon her free hand was at his waistband, finishing undressing him. Releasing her other hand he brought both to her chest, tugging away the last of the lace as she shoved roughly at his pants. She whimpered as his hands came into contact with bare skin and he growled as her hand wrapped around his already hard cock.

Brushing his thumbs over her nipples, he tried not to thrust into her soft hand but it was no use. Picking up the pace he grabbed her hips, steering her until they both were able to lay on the couch, him hovering over her. He pulled back for a second, taking in the way her dark hair fanned out against the opulent fabric but then her legs spread to cradle him and his lips began to kiss a hot path from her jaw bone to her already pebbled nipples.

She gasped, threading a hand through his hair as she held him close as he sucked harshly on one nipple. He spent a moment rolling the bud between his teeth before pulling back and moving to the other. By the time he'd finished, she was panting and arching beneath him.

"No more," she growled. "Niko now."

The sheer need in her voice made him shiver, closing his eyes as he tried to gain even a shred of control.

"No," she growled once more, thrusting up against him. "No don't do this Nikola. Please, I need you. Now."

Biting his lip, Nikola snaked his hand between them, rubbing her gently through the damp lace. She moaned at the contact, throwing her head back as she closed her eyes, utterly entrancing. Unable to stop himself, Nikola leant forward, kissing and licking and nibbling upon her neck as he allowed a single claw to grow, slicing through the fabric of her panties with ease.

Her eyes flew open as the fabric flew away but she quickly drew her legs up higher around his waist, holding him tightly. They both groaned as his tip nudged her entrance but, as he began to slowly sink into her, she began to shake, eyes wide as she hung onto his arms. For a fraction of a second he considered stopping, worried that he was hurting her but then she let loose the most sensual moan he'd ever heard, each reverberation making each and every cell in his body roar in approval.

"Niko."

Finally fully sheathed within her, Nikola pulled back to look down at her. Her brilliant blue eyes were shining, a faint sheen of sweat covering her face and a pink tinge to her cheeks that made his body ache for completion. She was perfection, a wanton goddess with her legs wrapped around him. Burying his face in her neck, Nikola began to thrust as gently as he could, silently vowing to make her come as many times as he physically could. He would give her the distraction she needed so desperately if it was the last thing he did.