I'm actually really unhappy with this particular chapter but I've reworked it three times in the past 24 hours and if I do it again, I'll go invisible Magnus style crazy... But who would complain if I killed Will :P

Also, massive Happy Birthday to Amanda Tapping! Where would we be without her? :D Probably with more time for assignments and such but hey, I'm not complaining :P

Thank you for all the wonderful reviews for the last chapter, y'all made me tear my hair out less as I was working on this chapter...

And we're actually on the home straight now... After this, expect 2 maybe 3 more chapters... The next one will be pitifully short but GAHHH it just wouldn't work for me any other way!

Enjoy

xx

They spent three hours combing every corner of the now locked down Sanctuary to no avail. Everyone was on high alert, all the residents locked away as the team prowled the hallways, stunners in hand. Kate had argued that maybe they should take guns as well but Nikola had threatened to bite her head off if she even thought of such a thing again.

"I'm just saying she's not herself and we've already seen what she can do. Stunners may not be enough," she whispered to Nikola as they hid around a corner. Flashing her a dangerous glare, Nikola controlled his first instinct, leaving the girl alive.

"Shut up," he hissed at her. "If we startle her again she will attack. You need to be quiet and calm and not provoke her." Kate rolled her eyes but said nothing. Nikola had been explicit in his instructions.

Do. Not. Shoot. Her. Unless. You. Have. No. Other. Choice.

He'd realised pretty early on that this was an angry response, one designed for self preservation. He refused to accept the idea that maybe she had been forever changed but-

"RUN!" screamed Kate, breaking into his train of thought. Nikola looked up just in time to see Will, Henry and the Big Guy come barrelling around the corner, stunners pointed over their shoulders at the screeching coming from behind them. At once he began to run, choosing to hang back a little to protect the children. It became apparent very, very quickly that she was shepherding them towards a dead end and Nikola was just about to voice this when they came up to a large window. He spun around, eyes searching for an escape, dismayed when he realised that the closest doorway was approximately three metres behind the heavy breathing that he gathered was Helen. There was always the window but Booty and the Protégé probably wouldn't survive the drop considering they were on the top floor.

"Take aim and be very, very careful. You mustn't miss," Nikola instructed as he began to slowly walk backwards.

"I thought you said-," Will started.

"I know what I said but it's either this or we'll all get mauled to death by a screaming banshee which is even less fun than it sounds," he hissed back, stepping in line with the rest of them.

"3," Kate said quietly, lifting her gun slowly.

"2," Henry said, doing the same.

"1!" Kate yelled, immediately hitting the trigger. The corridor was momentarily lit up by the light of four separate stunners being fired at one point. Over the commotion Nikola heard a scream, a very Helen and very un-monster scream. She flickered back into sight for a second and Nikola opened his mouth and raised his hand for just a second before it fell back to his side.

"STOP!" he yelled, shoving Kate into Will and Henry to stop their firing. He took an uncertain step forward when he heard her whimper. She flashed back into sight again and Nikola was relieved. She looked normal, hair messy and her white dress was dishevelled but other than that, Helen looked no worse for wear. She swayed on her feet for a moment before she let out a wailing scream and flickered out of sight once more. Nikola lurched forwards but already they could hear heavy footsteps clambering down the hall.

"Damn it!" Nikola yelled, spinning on his heel to face the rather confused looking group behind him. As if he needed more of a reason to call them children he noted absently.

"Go. Search," he said with a dismissive flick of the wrist. "She'll be exhausted, I got one of these into her," he said, waving a small and, until now, unnoticed dart gun he'd been carrying. Kate's eyes widened in silent awe at his prowess but Will just look more confused. "Don't shoot her, huggybear. That's what I'm saying. Find her and then find me."

Will looked like he was going to protest but at the withering look Nikola gave him, quickly shut up again. There was a beat before everyone hurried away, splitting into pairs. Nikola soon found himself alone in the corridor, staring at a few of the burn marks on the walls. He had a niggling feeling that after this was all over, Helen would be pinning the blame for her ruined panelling on him. Especially because the majority of them were on her very own bedroom door. He knew it was trivial but he found himself more than a little peeved that the damn protégé had interrupted them earlier. He wasn't sure exactly what would have happened (he liked to think he would have had enough restraint to refuse her until he could actually see her) but the afternoon certainly would have ended differently, that's for sure.

With a long suffering sigh, Nikola made his way down the corridor, running through his mind all the places Helen might hide that her team would never think of. Then it hit him. He quickened his pace, navigating the hallways with a new found purpose.

It took him all of two minutes to reach the door he was after although, in fairness, he was half sprinting towards the end. He paused outside the door and raised his hand to knock. It took him a second to dismiss the idea. Honestly, who knocked on their own bedroom door? Taking a bracing breath, Nikola pushed open the door and peaked around the corner, prepared to tackle any oncoming banshees.

After establishing there was no immediate danger, Nikola felt a swell of disappointment. He was almost certain she'd be in here somewhere but as he scanned the room, it was exactly as he'd left it.

Oh, maybe not, he realised, taking a few steps towards the dishevelled bed. There was a gap between the sheet and the mattress and, if he wasn't mistaken, the sheet seemed to be hanging off a very feminine hip. He took another step towards the bed but stopped when he noticed the white sundress lying on the floor. Definitely not his. He couldn't help but wonder why she was wearing a sundress in this weather, Helen was known for her strict adherence to a work wardrobe, after all. But if her dress was on the ground…

His mind was drawn away from the pile of silky fabric on the floor when he heard a soft moan from the bed.

"Nikki," she whispered, her voice filled with pain.

"I'm here," he soothed, rushing over to her.

"Number 1?" she asked, her voice pleading. Nikola felt his undead heart stop in his chest. He couldn't decide whether or not to give in or to take her straight to the infirmary.

"Please?" she begged, her voice soft, wavering slightly.

"Number 1," he agreed, kicking off his shoes and tossing his jacket to the floor before sliding up behind her. She shifted in his arms so that her back was pressed along his front. As she made herself comfortable in his embrace, Nikola realised why she'd worn the sundress, she had a roaring fever. Her skin felt like flames against his skin. He opened his mouth to insist they go to the infirmary but when she a tiny noise of content slipped through her lips, he decided against it, instead pulling her more snugly against him.

"I'd sleep with you," he said, cocking an eyebrow at her. Helen rolled her eyes at him, forgetting the gesture would go unseen.

"And I never thought you'd become predictable," she responded sarcastically. Nikola snorted at her and rolled his eyes. She had the sneaking suspicion he was about to disprove her previous statement.

"I'd sleep with you," he said calmly. "As in, in a bed, with covers, your eyes closed, you wearing that lovely blue night gown you keep tucked away in the back of your closet," he elaborated with a smile. Helen sat, slightly dumbfounded. It was… It was… Sweet? Almost. This was Nikola after all.

"That's all you would do?" she asked sceptically, proud that she managed to keep the disappointment out of her voice.

"For starters," he answered with a smirk. She waited for him to continue. "I have a list," he said, sounding a little proud.

"Of course you do," Helen said with a sigh and he chuckled at her. "How many things are on this list?" she asked dubiously.

"Nine," he answered firmly, a twinkle in his eye.

"Only nine?" she asked. "I think you're losing your touch."

"There are nine on this list," he countered with a grin.

"There are multiple lists?" she asked, a little astounded at the amount of thought that had gone into this. "How long have you been contemplating this?"

"Ever since you woke up," he answered with a shrug as he settled further down into his chair.

"So, number 1, sleep with me," she said, her curiosity piqued. "Wait, is this list all about me?"

He grinned.

"Thank you Nikki," she murmured before slipping into a deep sleep.