Right, so this carries on from just after the last chapter ended. I'm not entirely happy with it so far but I think you'll like the ending I've got planned. It satisfies many requirements :P

I am going to power through these stories because I really want to get to season three so I can post my Out Of The Blue rewrite. It's been done for ages and I love it (even if it is a bit of a smut fest) so you all have to give me a good kick if I don't start delivering with these stories, alright? That means you can call me every last name in the book if I start to slack off again!

xx

"I... I have to go," she said, grabbing her jacket from the floor. Not meeting his eye, she shrugged into it, pulling the leather up and around her as if it could protect her.

"Helen, just wait a moment, I'll come with you," Nikola began, desperately pulling up his pants. "You need to rest, I'll go talk to the mercenary, you-."

"No," she said, her voice cold and dangerous. "You've... you've done enough Nikola."

He watched, open mouthed as she turned on her heel and strode from the room without a backwards glance. Nikola froze, his pants hanging on his hips, shirt unbuttoned as he listened to her heavy footsteps. This wasn't what was supposed to happen, she wasn't supposed to hate him for giving her a distraction, even if it was only momentary. He felt the anger build up inside him, threatening to overflow in a rather impressive show of claws and teeth. This was wrong, it was all wrong, it wasn't what was supposed to happen. Her daughter shouldn't be a hired goon, she shouldn't be running away from him and, most importantly, he shouldn't feel like he's on the verge of a breakdown simply because she ran away.

He was Nikola Tesla, he reminded himself, finally snapping into action and fixing his clothes. He was Nikola Tesla and Nikola Tesla was strong, stronger than this. He loved Helen, more than anything and he would be strong for her, he would let her push him away if only so that he could come back to her when she truly needed him.

Sighing, he ran a hand through his hair before walking slowly to the door. He was just about out of the cavernous library when he heard a pair of voices heading down the corridor.

Ah, the protégé, he realised with a frown. The man was helpful on occasion but, to be frank he was starting to get on Nikola's nerves. He didn't understand the pain Helen was suffering, couldn't even begin to comprehend the things she had lost so the idea that this young man had any inkling as to what it felt like to be so close to losing the last precious thing in her life was preposterous. Though you had to give the boy points for trying, he decided as they voices faded. Part of him wondered if maybe he should have gone to Helen's aid and disposed of the troublesome boy but, if he was to truly allow her to push him away, that wouldn't do.

Shaking his head, Nikola strolled from the library, ignoring the protégé as he went.

He was wandering about, almost aimlessly and he knew it but the pacing up and down corridors gave him something to do. Never had Nikola coped well with this feeling of helplessness. He wanted to do something, anything but Wolf Boy had already kicked him out of the lab and while he could go scour the library shelves for any mention of the Cabal, he had a distinct feeling Helen would have already done that ages ago. Plus, as much as he understood her need to push at him, returning to the place where he had so recently made love to her with every ounce of his being was a little too much for him right now.

Perhaps he ought to have heeded his own advice to poor old Huggybear. Love really was a pointless emotion and one that tore people up inside. Of course, knowing that Helen needed him helped stave off the self loathing that came from giving in to her but still, his intentions had always been clear even if she didn't like to admit it most of the time. He loved her, despite his best efforts and, he knew he'd continue to feel the same way for the rest of his life regardless of the way she treated him.

Nikola stopped suddenly as he recognized the corridor he was now meandering down, the realization of where his feet had taken him sinking in. Her office. He could see the polished wooden door at the end of the corridor, the partially open door that let through her raised voice. She was yelling, practically screaming at someone. No response, he noted, must be the phone. He picked out snippets of the conversation as he moved closer to her door.

He heard her yell one final time and then, after a gut wrenching pause that had him wanting to rush in and comfort her, the smash of plastic against plasterboard and a guttural cry of frustration from the woman he loved resounded. She ended with a sob, a soft noise that he barely heard but one that had him walking faster despite his best efforts.

"What was it?" he asked solemnly, not bothering to knock as he walked in.

Helen blanched, eyes wide as she took him in, obviously not expecting visitors.

"They want the Network," she growled, turning on her heel and stalking to where her phone lay in pieces by the wall.

Clucking once, Nikola hurried to her side, brushing away her hands and scooping up the broken electronics without a word.

"I can do it," she muttered through gritted teeth as they straightened up.

"I know you can," he replied simply before turning to depositing the phone in the bin. For some odd reason, Nikola felt his hands begin to shake, his entire body thrumming with a nervous energy he knew only a cold shoulder could contain. No one in their right mind would ask for the Sanctuary Network because, as much as Helen loved her daughter, she'd never sacrifice the lives of thousands for the life of one, as much as it might break her to do so. Clearly the Cabal didn't want the Sanctuary, they wanted to destroy it.

"What is it you want Tesla?" she ground out, crossing her arms and shooting him a deadly look.

"To help," he said with a shrug, lounging against the edge of her desk. "I figured we were probably going to need to put up some kind of fight and, well, immortal vampire..."

She said nothing, simply giving him a withering look before making to storm past him a huff but Nikola was too quick, reaching out and grabbing her arm before she could make it too far.

"And to see how you were doing," he said quietly, tugging her to stand before him.

"How do you think I'm doing?" she yelled, fists balled. "They have my daughter and all you can do is sit here an-."

He cut her off, tugging her closer as he wrapped his arms around her.

"It sucks," he summarised with a murmur into her hair.

"Yeah," she breathed, body shuddering at the admission. For a moment they stayed like that, Nikola cradling her as gently as he could while she clung to him, hands fisted in his jacket before she pulled back, once again not meeting his eyes but Nikola couldn't help himself and leant forward, brushing his lips against hers in a manoeuvre he was certain would get him shot or, at the very least, slapped.

Pulling back, Nikola prepared for the knee to the groin but, before he could even suck in a breath of fresh air, her lips were on his again, her hands holding his face to hers. Moaning, he grabbed her by the waist, pulling her to rest flush against his body. Helen came willingly, plastering her body to his as she continued to kiss him thoroughly, her tongue exploring his mouth as he memorized the taste of her.

Then suddenly she pulled back, stumbling out of his reach with wide and terrified eyes.

"We can't," she breathed, her chest rising and falling rapidly.

Nikola said nothing, just working on getting his heart back to a more reasonable pace. Her eyes hardened and she turned away from him.

He could sense the indecision in her, the want to continue with their activities waring with her need to devote all her attention to her missing daughter. Sighing, Nikola followed her, taking her hand before she managed to turn and chastise him.

"No more?" he whispered, threading their fingers and she smiled, stepping closer and resting her head against his shoulder. The urge to kiss her was still strong within him but somehow he resisted, taking solace in the fact that he was the one she turned to for comfort.

It wasn't until they heard the voices of the others coming towards her office that they pulled apart, Nikola heading to the chair in the corner as she returned to her desk, running a hand over her hair just as the door swung open.

Back to business then.

"Tell me you're not actually considering this," Protégé begged, his voice imploring. Helen had filled them all in on the phone call and now, much to Nikola's displeasure, she was being questioned as to how she'd proceed. As head of the Network surely she deserved more respect than this.

"It's an impossible choice," she replied, sounding tired.

"Is it?" Druitt interjected with a cold glare.

"If I did capitulate do you honestly think that the Cabal would hold up their end of the deal?" she burst out, sending a round of biting glares around the room.

"She's our daughter!"

"I'm not so sure about that anymore," Nikola threw out, deflecting for Helen. He'd not let that bald idiot pretend to have any familial feelings for the daughter he didn't know.

"What the hell is she then?" Wolf Boy asked, eyes wide with fear.

"She's exhibited multiple powers, teleportation, speed, strength," Protégé listed.

"Healing powers, super reflexes, vampiric tendencies, sound familiar?" Nikola added with a look to Helen.

"Multiple powers?" the pup breathed.

"In one very violent package," Nikola confirmed.

"Whatever the source blood has done to Ashley it's clear the source blood is a key element. We need to find a way to interfere with it," Helen said, cutting them off with a last look to Nikola. It was brief but he knew exactly what she was thinking before she even thought it.

"You mean a weapon?"

"Yes."

Her voice was firm and Nikola felt a swell of pride in her. She was, as always the strongest person he knew.

"Helen," Druitt hissed, shooting them both a dark look.

"To disable her, neutralise her powers," she clarified. Though why that wasn't already obvious to the other man, Nikola had no idea.

"Doc, I'm totally on board with all this but we have no idea how much they've messed with her genetic makeup," the wolf piped up. "Making a weapon to stop her feels a bit like a shot in the dark

"Not to mention neutralising the effects of the source blood or any mind control drugs, it could kill her," Nikola threw out. She always did have a knack at asking the impossible of those who cared too much to fail her.

"Then make certain it doesn't."

Classic bloody Helen Magnus.

"I'll need two weeks."

"We don't have that," she said, a silent warning flashing through her eyes. "You'll have every resource available Nikola, I want a working prototype ready immediately. Henry, you'll assist."

"O.K, so we know the Cabal's real agenda now, they want the entire Sanctuary Network under their control," Protégé cut in.

"In order to destroy it," Druitt muttered and Nikola couldn't help but agree.

"Either way," the young man said, shooting Druitt a wary look. "Ashley has intimate knowledge of our security protocols, communication systems, defence designs."

"We changed all the codes when Ashley went rouge. If she's as powerful as you say she is, we're going to have to alter every security protocol in the Network," the wolf said with a fearful look around.

"I'll speak to the heads of every facility, let them know what to expect," Helen assured them all, clearly eager to get them onto their assigned tasks.

"With Ashley, they could bring this entire network to it's knees," (WHO)

"Which means that every second is critical," she said with a look around the room. "Work fast gentlemen."

And with that she left, walking out of her office with a decidedly determined gleam in her eye. Nikola watched as John stormed after her and while part of him was tempted to follow, the other part (the part that had a say when it came to self preservation) kept him in his seat as Helen and John's raised voices reached them.

Between the young Wolf's constant drone of why this or that wouldn't work, Nikola was almost pleased when it was announced they'd be going to London. At least there he'd get some respite from the eager pup. Even if Druitt was involved.

When they rematerialised into what a laboratory much like that of the one they'd just left, Nikola remembered just why he'd never liked the place. As much as it was Helen's design, the entire place was so Victorian it made his skin crawl, always had, even back when it was state of the art. Now of course it held other painful memories and Nikola was struck by just how much the place required James' presence. Something about it suited their old friend, the one man he knew was still stuck in the past. Where Helen had embraced modernity, James had shunned it, allowing it only when truly necessary and it showed, right from the hand cranks by the doors (accompanied by a pin pad thankfully) through to the smell of the place.

"Welcome to London gentlemen," an uncouth voice sang out, interrupting Nikola's thoughts.

"Will, Nikola, this is Declan MacRae, acting head of the UK facility," Helen said warmly.

"Doctor Tesla, it's an honour," the man, MacRae, said.

"Is it?" Nikola asked, instantly on edge. This man was nothing more than a child, how on earth could he even begin to fill the role of James Watson? "Surely James Watson told you about me before he died."

"He did indeed in the most respectful terms," MacRae responded, a hint of a smirk. Backbone, Nikola mused, good, he was going to need it.

"Well then the honour is mine," Nikola replied, giving the closest he could to his seal of approval. "You have big shoes to fill Mr. MacRae."

"We have a lab set up for you to continue your work.," MacRae continued easily. "All according to the specifications you sent us."

"I'll need wine, the good stuff, nothing cheap," Nikola specified and he saw Helen smirk. Well, if James could always supply him with good wine then surely his protégé could do the same.

Helen and the man shared a nod before they addressed Nikola once more.

"Of course," he replied with only a hint of a grin before gesturing for Nikola to follow him. With one last look to Helen who seemed more relaxed than he'd seen in a while, he followed the other man, almost barrelling into the woman who'd given him the chance to call Protégé Huggybear.

Shaking his head, Nikola sighed. Young love really was pitiful. Century old love on the other hand...

He worked tirelessly, actually without stop or complaint or even to request better wine. It was never going to work, his heart had sunk at the realisation but he kept going, he kept trying because... well because he had to. Word of the breach reached him quickly but it wasn't until his walkie crackled to life that he paid it any attention.

"Nikola? How long?" she asked, voice distorted by the rubbish technology but her panic was still there. This was it.

"Almost there, stop bugging me," he barked, nerves getting the better of him.

"How goes the home invasion?" he asked as she hurried into the lab, lips pressed tight together.

"Not as well as we'd hoped," she admitted breathlessly. "We're moving to plan B which means I need the weapon right now."

"Just finished powering it up but you should know it's hardly my best work." She had to be prepared for it to not work, she had to think he'd already failed.

"It'll have to do. It's time you got into the fray," she instructed, grabbing the weapon and lugging it from the room. Nikola followed quickly, grabbing his jacket as he went. This was going to be a hell of a fight and he knew it.