April 11 1912 2:00 pm
A shadow fell across Helens shoulder. She looked up to find Mr. Andrews smiling down at her.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Andrews. How are you?" Helen asked politely
Andrews nodded pleasantly "quite well, Dr. Magnus. Thank you. I thought I would take in some fresh air before..." He gave a sheepish grin. "Mr. Ismay insists on giving a tour of the ship to anyone interested. He roped me into it somehow."
Helen laughed, remembering the impossible schemes Nikola could 'rope' her into trying. "Yes the captain mentioned that. You Mr. Ismay and Mr. Morgan."
"Not Mr. Morgan. It seems he changed his mind and stayed in England." Andrews sighed. "I think Mr. Ismay was terribly put out. He wanted to show Mr. Morgan how his money was being spent."
"Understandable." Helen nodded. Andrews smiled.
"Do come along won't you Doctor? I don't know that I can survive an afternoon in the company of a bunch of tittering socialites. I can't promise it'll be the highlight of your day. But I would like someone there who I know has a brain."
Helen laughed and looked at a pair of socialites who were repeating some gossip. "I would love to. When shall we start?"
"Our first dry run will be at 3:00 this afternoon. We meet on the grand staircase in the first class dining hall. "
"I look forward to it." Helen smiled Andrews tipped his hat and left.
Left to her own devices, Helen turned back to the ocean they used to talk about traveling around the world, the 5 of them. Nikola particularly. Had a taste for adventure. She would sit for hours and listen to him recount childhood 'adventures' he had exploring caves and old buildings with Macak "The most marvelous cat in the world." He spoke little of his homeland.
"There was nothing there, Helen. Absolute. So I left and never much intended to go back." Nikola would say with a bored yawn and a shrug. "But if you want to see it, Helen Love. I will take you there"
That was long ago. Seemingly longer to Helen, who stood on the stern looking at the ocean. Another lifetime. Before the ripper, or the source blood. Even before John. And the five. Only Helen and Nikola, the square pegs that spent their free time. Under the trees of Oxford Park, dreaming of all the adventures available in the then-large world. A respite from carving new holes into the sturdy unmoving unforgiving mold that was Oxford.
What had changed? What had changed Them?
The source blood certainly. But that change was more drastic and in the case of the others more immediate. The source blood had given Nikola long curved nails and sharp teeth. Features unbecoming of the mild mannered scientist. But in mannerisms he was the same as ever. Clever, snarky arrogant and adventurous. He soon traveled to Budapest and Paris then New York. He offered to take her, she remembered suddenly. Begged her to go with him.
She had declined. She opted to stay in London, with John. For John. She watched Nikola pack a small bag and an erstwhile smile. She tried not to begrudge his luck. In her eyes Nikola was already a world class traveler. And he was leaving again. Without her. Leaving her.
Nikola was always restless, Helen knew that. Understood it even. No it wasn't Nikola that had changed, but Helen herself. She let out a rueful laugh at the irony. The ever unchanging Helen Magnus changed so drastically.
Helen Magnus who found the source blood and created a serum from it, who convinced the best and brightest of Oxford to try the source blood. She had taken it and waited for the change to come.
Waited with Patience and some envy when John teleported within a week. Patience and some frustration when Nigel found he could disappear a month after. Patience and exasperation when in a fortnight James could solve impossible problems with the smallest clues. Patience and some trepidation when , just minutes after his turn at the needle, Nikola s slate blue eyes went to pitch-black and his teeth grew long for want of blood.
Still Helen waited. A week a month a year a decade half a century. And the only change she noticed was the utter lack of change. But while the source blood kept her the same unchanging face, Helen herself had changed.
John had changed her. From the first woman in Oxford, traveler to be, John cultivated a man-dependent, humble stay at home delicate blossom. She wasn't sure when the change came in her. When had she gone from strong and independent world adventurer to blushing lily in love?
More importantly, when did John Change?
When did he stop being the soft spoken gentleman of old and became the bloodthirsty rage driven killer. And why had she not seen it sooner? Was she blinded by love? Or was it guilt?
Helen shivered. After all these years, she still didn't know.
Helen was shaken from her musings by a clock chime sounding in her ears. She looked up realizing she was at the top of the
grand stairway. She had been wandering aimlessly.
The Grand Staircase descended five levels down to the E Deck in the famous appearance and continued down to F-Deck as an ordinary stairway. There were large glass domes that allowed natural light to filter into the main room. Oak paneling and detailed carvings, paintings, bronze cherubs with lamps and candelabra. The clock surrounded by an intricate oak carving.
Andrews smiled and ascended the stairs bowing to Helen.