I got slack there, didn't I? And I don't even have a nice juicy chapter for y'all as an apology! This is what happens when your muse turns angsty and makes you churn out a few thousand words a day for a story you haven't published... Well, I pinky promise that the next and final chapter will be up on Thursday! At the latest. The more reviews, the quicker it will be :D

As I've already promised, once I've posted the final chapter, I'll post the entire list plus the outtakes of the conversation in order so you can read it in it's entirety :)

Now, so you don't get confused, I should preface this by saying this is Nikola wrapping up the story of Helen's exploits... Think back to chapter two and it might all make sense if you're still confused :)

Thank you for all the lovely reviews and I am so, SO sorry about being such a dud these past few days! :S

Enjoy

xx

"And there we have it, my dear. After that I carried you to the infirmary. You spent a few days fluctuating between visible and invisible but it evened of eventually," Nikola said with a flourish. A now thoroughly visible Helen sat bolt upright in her bed, shocked at the story.

"And how long have I been asleep?" she asked, her eyes still unfocused.

"Ah, a little over a week," Kate supplied. Helen nodded mutely, processing everything.

She noted absently that Nikola had left out some of the more… embarrassing details. As he'd told the story, her memory had started to return, filling in the blanks. In fact, he hadn't mentioned the list at all in his version but oh, did she remember it. Her gaze flickered to his and she saw the corner of his mouth quirk in mutual understanding and she let out a breath. So her memories of passionate embraces weren't the musings of a crazy woman who had gone too long without the touch of a man.

"As far as we can tell, whatever was in your blood burnt itself out. Maybe because of your altered DNA," Will said, stepping forwards.

"It always comes back to that blood," Kate joked, rolling her eyes.

"It seems that way," Helen conceded with a smile, hoping she was covering her confusion well. To be honest she was still in a bit of a daze, her mind trying to piece together her re-emerging memories alongside the tale Nikola had told.

Using that psychic prowess he'd displayed when she was invisible, Nikola took one glance at her before standing up and turning to face her team.

"Visiting hours are between 10am and 3pm, kiddies. Time to move along," he said patronizingly, holding up a hand to silence their protests. "She needs to rest and you busy bodies aren't exactly experts at keeping quite. Out."

"And what about you?" Henry asked as he made his way to the door. "If we have to go, so do you."

"Perceptive, aren't you?" Nikola said condescendingly as he followed them out of the room grudgingly.

"We'll be back," Will called over his shoulder as he too was ushered from the room. Kate uttered the same intent and then there was silence.

Grateful for the reprieve, Helen let out a breath she hadn't known she'd been holding. She'd been unconscious for over a week, invisible for a month and a savage for a few hours. For once something truly extraordinary had happened at the Sanctuary. Looking back now, she should have realized her changed biology would fight the infection the bite presented but her mind had been so clouded by the creature that, until now, the thought hadn't even occurred to her.

Slowly, things were becoming clearer in her mind. She could remember with far more accuracy the events that precipitated her collapse. She winced as she remembered the searing pain of the stunners, the lethargy that took over her bones as she'd stumbled towards the only place she felt certain to be undisturbed and then finally, the solace those wiry arms gave when wrapped around her body. That last sensation gave her pause.

She'd always loved Nikola just the same as she'd loved James and Nigel but she'd never been in love with him. They had always been the misfits. Even in their group they were the two oddities, the blonde, female doctor and the snarky but brilliant Serb. She'd never even thought to see him that way until that disastrous trip to Rome but after that she couldn't keep her mind from considering that maybe, just maybe he had been in love with her for all these years. It certainly would explain his attachment to her when they were young, followed by his distance after her engagement. Still, she managed to keep her mind otherwise occupied when it came to Nikola but after all this? Well, clearly she should never drink in front of him, lest her inhibitions be lowered to such a state that her baser urges start to shine through.

Always one for honesty, Helen had to admit to herself that that was exactly what had happened there. She'd given in to her baser urges. She'd stolen his clothes, pinned him to a wall, attacked Will, begged him to kiss her, let her hands wander under the pretence of tickling, tried to undress him and then, to top it all off, walked around completely naked just to drive him insane. Thankfully he'd skipped over that particular event in his recount.

Letting out a yawn, Helen sank back into the bed. Despite the fact that she'd been asleep for several days, she was feeling inexplicably tired. For once taking the advice of her favourite cocky vampire, she settled down to sleep, her mind spinning with thousands of questions. Questions, she decided as her eyes flittered closed, that could wait until tomorrow.

A few hours later Nikola came striding into the room, confident that Helen would still be awake. How could she not know he was coming back the second he could? He'd seen that look in her eye as he dulled down their escapades. She knew the real story. There was confusion in her eyes as he ignored any mention of 'the list' and he was loving every second of it. Although he was not normally one to avoid a chance to make Helen blush, that list and her actions were… Well, not for public consumption, he'd decided when he'd started telling the story. Not that he hadn't come here to tease her mercilessly about it but it was certainly something the children need not here.

Nikola stopped short as he took in Helen's sleeping figure. Her face was relaxed, her hair caught in a messy frame around her face. She let out a soft sigh and fidgeted slightly. All at once Nikola's smart comments fell away and stood mesmerised. When he'd held her, he'd felt a similar kind of awe but now that he could actually see her, his heart was beating double time. She began to stir and Nikola recognized that she was waking up. Without conscious decision he spun around on his heel and left, not wanting to break whatever spell had been cast over their relationship.

As Helen rolled over, she had the strangest sensation wash over her. All of a sudden she felt she wasn't alone. With a sleepy sigh she dismissed the idea and fell back into a deep sleep, dreaming of steamy showers and sunny kisses.