Chapter 47 – The Happiest We'll Be (5)
~~~~November, 1922~~~~
It was now their fifth year of being in the wild deserts of Egypt.
They joined Carter two years ago, working alongside him to uncover whatever Helen's father had sent them down here for.
The camp migrated almost every two months to a new section of the desert. Things had become much easier since the dissipation of the Horacians, caused by them blowing up their leader's car while he was still inside it. Cutting off the head had cut off the brains of the operation and soon they had fallen to a separated faction here and there with no real mission to carry out.
So far they hadn't caused any more trouble, leaving Carter's camp to have full reign over the Valley of Kings. It was nice not to have to look over their shoulders every two minutes.
This time the camp rooted itself near an oasis, large enough for the camp to clean themselves and refresh their water supplies. Helen and Nikola opted to place their own tent closer to the water so Nikola could maintain his swimming regime. Nikola had never been happier, and not just because he was clean.
Nikola looked over his shoulder to Helen at the other end of the small pool they had pretty much claimed as theirs from day one. It was a smaller separate body of water from the larger one used by everyone. No one disturbed them in this shady lagoon, it was completely sheltered by long grass, and the water was only about waist deep, but it was private, which Helen, being the only woman for miles, found very nice.
Nikola watched her pin her hair up into a bun to keep it dry. Her garments hung from a low branch of the exotic tree that thrived next to the pond. All she wore was her undergarments, as she usually did when she bathed because it would keep her cool for the rest of the day.
She tensed slightly, and he turned away, just in time for her to look back at him. He snickered to himself, removing his undershirt and folding it and placing it carefully on the bank next to his trousers and shoes.
Helen turned back and continued with her routine.
Nikola scooped some water into his hands and splashed it across his face. It wasn't cold water, but it was cool enough to be pleasant and refreshing.
He heard Helen tread water and his eyes sneaked back around to watch her. She had let her hair down, after all the time she had taken to pin it up and she removed the garments on her upper torso, revealing her perfect back to his voyeuristic gaze.
The sun shone against the droplets of water on her back and he watched them enviously, wishing he could touch her the way the water droplets caressed and slid down her brilliantly white shoulders.
She draped her wet garments on the branch and then ducked her head under the water for a brief second before re-emerging, her wet, blonde hair flowing back to hug the back of her neck.
Nikola was entranced, watching her hungrily, his eyes feasting on the show she was giving him. His mouth hung open slightly, his body tensed and a shiver went up his spine tingling out to his fingers.
By the time he recovered his eyes met two blue eyes, staring at him unimpressed.
Helen wore a smirk, knowing her trap had caught him red-handed in the act of watching her bathe.
"I thought we'd agreed we'd stick to our corners," her long hair came down strategically to cover the parts he wished he could see.
Nikola smirked sheepishly.
"I'm still in my corner," he chuckled, choosing not to deny the fact that he'd been spying.
"Yes but for how long?" Helen teased.
"Depends," he shrugged. "If you take off any more I won't be responsible for my actions."
Helen laughed.
"You really think I was doing that for you?" Helen scoffed.
"Yes. You spent twenty minutes pinning your hair up, only to let it down in a second, because you suspected I was watching, and you knew exactly what to do to keep me watching," he grinned, but not moving a step towards her.
"I changed my mind halfway, that's all," Helen's resolve cracked and Nikola smirked.
"You never bathe fully in the nude, Helen, because you always suspected me of watching, plus having wet undergarments underneath your dry clothes keeps you cooler longer, I've been sneaking looks a lot longer than you think," he winked cheekily.
"Maybe I knew?" Helen crossed her arms, obstructing more of his view of her.
"Maybe you liked it?" Nikola added, crossing his arms as well.
"Maybe I still do," Helen smirked challengingly.
Nikola dropped his arms, not quite believing his ears.
"Helen, was that an open invitation?" Nikola felt another shiver run through him.
"Well, you are my fiancé…as it were," she grinned. "They all suspect that's what we do in our little blue lagoon."
Nikola's grin grew wider.
Before he could come up with a retaliation Helen ducked under the water.
Nikola was stumped for a second trying to find her form under the water, but before he could place her she emerged right in front of him, like a mermaid, a water goddess, a siren, her wet lips meeting his gently. It was enough to freeze his brain for a couple of seconds before he began kissing back.
His hands grasped Helen's arms gently. His wet hands sliding up her slick skin.
Her hands came up and slicked his slightly damp hair back.
He broke the kiss to inhale a sharp burst of air.
His nostrils and lungs burned slightly and he fought the emotions of excitement and exhilaration.
"I love being your fake fiancé," Nikola grinned before kissing her again, slowly pushing her to the edge of the bank. She fell against the semi-grassy knoll, her back falling partially into the warm sand.
She gasped slightly, her lips disconnecting from his.
Nikola took no time in descending to her neck. Her hips and lower half still waded in the water. Nikola kept going farther down.
"Nikola…what are you thinking?" Helen gasped.
He was at her abdomen, nearly his whole body submerged.
"I was just thinking…how long could I…last…under water," his eyes darting to the brilliant blue-green water.
"Why don't you go down there and find out," Helen challenged, her elbows bracing her against the sandy bank.
Nikola looked up at her and smirked, before continuing his path from her abdomen, his head slowly sliding into the water.
A few moments later, Helen's head lolled back and she silently let out a deeply satisfied sigh, letting the sun warm her face, as her whole body was enveloped by heat.
~~~~Later~~~~
Carter checked his pocket watch for the third time. He didn't know if it was correct any more, he'd been in the desert that long, but he knew for certain that his two partners were running late. It wasn't the first time; he always found that when they went off to the oasis in the morning they'd usually be a few minutes behind schedule. Perhaps for several reasons, he tried not to wonder too long about they did in their little sheltered cove, though most of his men suspected what two fiancés did together in a sheltered bathing area.
Did it have to be this morning of all mornings?
He grumbled.
Carter had a schedule he wished to maintain involving their latest excursion. They were getting closer, he was positive, that and his financial backer, Lord Carnarvon was due to arrive any moment.
Carter had hoped to introduce Carnarvon to his new associates. They'd been working in conjunction nearly two years, but only recently had Helen and Javor joined his camp to work side by side, the year before that had more been a sharing of information than working together in the fullest sense. During Carnarvon's visit last winter, Helen and Javor had journeyed to another part of the desert entirely to do more research. Carnarvon had heard many stories of this wondrous pair of scientists, but had never met them face-to-face. To say he was expecting the Jesus and Mary Magdalene of archeologists was an understatement, and they were currently snogging in the blue lagoon.
Carter grumbled again, he didn't need Carnarvon cutting down more of his financial support because of this.
As if hearing his inner complaints, Helen and Nikola arrived, fully dressed, looking respectable and professional as always. Nikola was clean-shaven, aside from the thin line of a mustache he was sporting; it was as much as Helen would allow him. Helen wore her wide brimmed fedora and high trousers and boots, looking more ready to work than for a tea party. Her hair was tied up in a tasteful knot under her hat, quickly drying under the blazing sun. Nikola's hair was slicked back as always, and he wore his white high collared shirt with a dark brown vest that matched his trousers.
Carter breathed a sigh of relief.
"You're late," he tucked his pocket watch back into his vest pocket.
"For what?" Nikola looked at Carter, his hands resting on his hips.
"For Lord Carnarvon's arrival, he's due any moment now," grumbled Carter.
"Who?" Nikola screwed his face up.
"The financial backer of this entire operation…I told you this last night, Javor," Helen rolled her eyes.
"Really? I must've not been paying attention," Nikola shrugged.
Carter glared at them, suspecting he could guess what they were up to during when this conversation took place.
Helen looked away sheepishly.
"I did mention it…at dinner," she added.
"Oh right…that was today?" Nikola looked at her, she nodded her head. "Well, we're not too late are we?" Nikola looked back to Carter.
He shook his head.
"Fortunately, no," he sighed.
Nikola smiled obliviously.
"Good, would hate to be late for something like that," Nikola smirked at Helen and she smirked slightly back.
On some level she believed he got some sort of kick out of driving Carter crazy.
The sound of an engine approaching snapped the threesome out of their discussion.
"He's here," sighed Carter.
"Oh goody," Nikola bubbled, moving to stand directly beside Helen.
"Best behavior, my love," Helen smirked.
"Always," Nikola smirked back at her, offering her his arm to loop with hers. Helen took it gratefully.
They've had two years of playing this game of being fiancés, they were getting good at it, so good, Helen sometimes forgot that this man wasn't actually her betrothed. She had a feeling he had trouble remembering that was well.
They were starting to take more liberties with each other. Like what happened this morning in the pool, three years ago Helen would've thrown her clothes on and left if she had caught Nikola peeping on her, but today, she found him watching rather…intriguing. Before she knew it she was taking more clothes off, letting her hair down, making herself as irresistible to his hungry eyes as she possibly could and when she turned and saw her ruse had worked, she saw his eyes, yearning for her earnestly. She liked that look in his eyes.
But it wasn't just that, she couldn't count how many times she had woken up in the past few months with Nikola's arms around her, and it wasn't just because of the previous night's activities. Sometimes she woke prematurely when they hadn't done anything the night before and had found him lying next to her, she would close her eyes either go back to sleep or pretend to sleep until he woke up and untangled himself away from her and sneak into his own cot as if it never happened. He did it more often than not, and when he didn't Helen could feel it, it felt like something was missing.
She also allowed small little kisses, a kiss to the cheek as he left the room, a peck on the hand when she joined him for an evening drink, a kiss to the lips when she left his side for more than a moment. Normal displays of affection for two lovers or fiancés, but they weren't fiancés.
And there was the way he'd drape his arm behind her when they sat together for meals or at evening get-togethers, and how she would snuggle into it, right up to the crook of his arm and place her hand on his knee, or he'd grasp her fingers gently with his free hand and hold them until they found something else to do.
Helen especially enjoyed the way he would massage her shoulders after the end of a long day, sometimes dropping kisses to the back of her neck.
Helen looked up at Nikola.
She hadn't seen him this happy since the early Oxford days.
The oddest thing about this was how ok she was about it. On some level she should feel weirded out, or uncomfortable, but it barely phased her, in fact, she kind of enjoyed it…a lot.
She was beginning to picture some kind of strange future of the two of them, spending their entire life together in Egypt, in a little cottage by the oasis, so that Nikola could keep up with his 27 laps every morning. Sometimes there are kids, sometimes it's just the two of them.
Helen looked down at the sand.
Would it stay the same after they found the tomb? Or would reality catch up with them?
Before she could think anymore on the subject, Lord Carnarvon's car stopped before them.
He stepped out, shielding his eyes from the blinding sun.
"George!" Carter greeted warmly.
"Howard," Carnarvon shook the man's hand with a gentle smile.
"Welcome back," smiled Carter.
"Well you know, winter in London, no good for my health," Carnarvon patted his chest. "I love the warm climate…and the discoveries."
"Well put, old friend," Carter led him over to Helen and Nikola. "I'd like you to meet my new associates, helping with the dig."
"Oh yes, the miracle duo I've heard so much about," Carnarvon immediately shot his hand out to Helen who took it graciously.
"May I introduce, Dr. Helen Magnus and her fiancé Javor Dragoslav," Carter introduced formally.
"You wouldn't be related to the belated Gregory Magnus would you?" asked Carnarvon.
"Yes, he was my father," Helen nodded. "Did you know him?"
"Only by reputation," Carnarvon shook her hand. "You have a reputation all your own Ms. Magnus…though I'd have thought you to be older."
"I'm sure my father talked about me when I was younger, always telling stories, a lot of people thought I was older, he makes me sound that way," Helen sighed dismissively.
"Ah," Carnarvon nodded then turned to Nikola. "You on the other hand have nothing to precede you Mr. Drago…?"
"Dragoslav…and I'm just the nameless protector of the beautiful lady, I have no reputation of which to speak of," Nikola peered over to Helen.
"He kids, Lord Carnarvon, he's been my loyal associate for years, he just teases because I get all the credit," Helen teased.
"Hence why I asked you to marry me…then I get credit for something," Nikola teased back.
Carnarvon laughed.
"Ah, young love, I recognize it's face," he turned to Carter. "Remember when we were that young and doe-eyed Howard."
"Hardly," scoffed Carter. "These two are like a bickering old couple most days."
"Excellent," laughed Carnarvon. "Now, Howard, I've been traveling less than two hours in this desert and I'm already parched, please tell me you have something to wet my whistle before we get to work."
"Right this way," Carter led the way to his tent.
Helen and Nikola stayed back and grinned at each other.
"I think he likes us," Nikola smirked.
"You maybe…I don't think he quite buys my story," Helen bit her lip nervously.
"Maybe it's about time you got a pseudo-name…I'm sure Javor wouldn't mind changing his name to suit his fiancé," Nikola smirked and Helen rolled her eyes.
"By the time I do that, Javor Dragoslav will be long gone, and you will be back in New York with your pigeons," sighed Helen without really thinking.
Nikola's smile dropped at her words.
"Oh," he looked down.
"Once we find the tomb we can go back to our old lives," Helen continued.
"Fun," Nikola muttered.
"Running water, hot food, a real bed," Helen closed her eyes, she could just feel the feather downy and silk sheets.
"Debt," Nikola tagged at the end.
"The theatre, the opera, rain…"
"An empty hotel room."
Helen faltered and turned to him.
"Nikola?" she fixed him with a confused gaze. "Are you actually saying you prefer living in this desert? After all the complaining you made!"
"I don't love the desert…it's not my homestead of choice, but being here…with you…it's like the old days you know…I'm starting to realize that I was very alone back in New York…I'll miss the company is all," Nikola shrugged.
"Oh, of course," Helen felt a little disheartened at his answer, and she didn't quite understand why. It was a reasonable answer, it would be hard for the both of them to return to normal life after growing so close the last few years. He'd been the only person in her life for the past five, and she would miss him on occasion, especially after recent events.
Nikola began walking, following the trail that Carter and Carnarvon left.
He'd gone silent and that left Helen feeling very wary.
He only went silent when he was thinking about something serious.
Helen watched him walk away.
He was so odd sometimes.
Nikola rarely talked so honestly, he usually masked his feelings with banter and flirty remarks, Helen wondered if he was growing fond of this life in the desert.
She shook her head. Once the tomb was found they'd both be able to move on with their lives.
She began following him to join Carter and Carnarvon and Nikola in Carter's tent.
~~~~Later~~~~
The day went by uneventfully. After laying out the schedule to Carnarvon, and showing him the three main dig sites, and explaining what led them to there, they all separated into their different duties. Helen and Nikola were knee deep in the pits, working in conjunction as always. Nikola said nothing much except for words pertaining to work, which he passed off for being focused.
It had Helen in rut all day, she was not used to Nikola being this way, so when she walked into their tent at the end of the day and he was over his sink shaving, since he hadn't enough time this morning, she was determined to snap him out of it.
He was stripped down to his trousers and undershirt. Helen enjoyed watching his toned muscles flex and contract as he ran the blade down his chin.
Even a vampire wasn't resistant to a five o'clock shadow.
Helen blushed as she realized she was checking out his rump as he leaned close to his mirror to check he hadn't missed a spot.
She leaned against her own vanity and continued to watch him. His hair was getting a tad shaggy, she'd have to cut it again soon or he'd start complaining. When had she began thinking like a wife? Helen snickered to herself. Soon she wouldn't be able to let him leave the tent without making sure he looked absolutely handsome for going off to work; she'd always loathed that in married women, but after living with this one for five years she understood a bit of the principle now. Him leaving the house looking perfect reflected on your ability as his companion, it wasn't to serve him at all, it was so he stepped out looking dashing, and the wife turning to their neighbors and saying, "I did that."
Nikola was hardly her husband, but even as her fake fiancé, the principle still applied.
His eyes saw her looking at him from the mirror and she caught his gaze in the reflective surface.
His shoulders tensed and Helen smirked standing up fully, and grabbing her towel from where it was hanging.
He pretended to ignore her.
"I'm off to the lagoon," she said as casually as possible.
"Alright," he muttered in response, and kept shaving.
"It's been so hot, I find myself craving being in the water," Helen continued noting how he tensed all over again.
"It should be cool around this time," Nikola didn't turn to look at her.
"I know, it's going nice to go to sleep feeling cool…instead of being so hot and sweaty," she chose her words perfectly that she could practically hearing the blood pumping out of Nikola's heart. It could've been because her heart was beating just as loud.
She imagined their hearts were beating at the same time, so his heartbeat just melded to hers.
"Don't catch cold," he managed to choke out.
"Yah…then you'd have to take care of me," she teased. "You could always join me…make sure I don't stay in the water for too long."
Nikola turned around finally.
Helen met his eyes and his searched hers for something.
"Helen…?" he sputtered.
"If you need me I'll be at the lagoon," she emphasized the word need and left the tent, resisting the urge to turn around to see if his eyes followed her out.
She made it to the lagoon, she had found two torches and stuck them in the dirt on both sides of the lagoon to give it a bit of lighting, but not too much.
She began to take off her clothes, not bothering to wait for him, if he came he came, if not she would enjoy her bathe by herself. She folded her trousers and blouse in the sand by her boots and waded into the pool. She sat on the bank, pinning her hair up expertly to keep it off her neck, cupping her hands to sprinkle water over her over-heated body.
Helen really did enjoy the water at the end of a long work day. She could hear some of the workers in the larger pool splashing around not too far from there.
She chuckled, seems she wasn't the only one.
She got off the bank and waded into the waist deep centre of the pool, dunking herself in past her shoulders.
What would happen if he didn't come?
She bit her lip slightly. What would happen if he did? Would he give her the same attention he paid her that morning, or would it be more like that night when he was so close to losing her that when she came back he melted right into her arms. She smiled with the memory of both encounters.
The heat built up again, and she couldn't tell if it was water or sweat dripping down her body anymore.
She got so caught up in her ideas that she jumped when the sound of a twig snapping resounded in the lagoon.
She heard him curse and Helen grinned, turning to find him, at the edge of the bank, he'd been hiding behind one of the trees. He was trying to make his approach when he got ratted out by mother nature.
"Nikola," Helen smiled. She looked at him, he looked ragged and disturbed, she's been driving him crazy and it was beginning to show.
She turned to him completely and his breath hitched.
"What are you doing here?" she asked, knowing full well why he was here, he was doing very little to hide it.
His whole torso expanded as he breathed heavily.
She felt powerful knowing she could reduce him to this. She liked that she could affect him this much.
"Nikola?" she asked again when he didn't answer.
Without any regard to his shoes or his pants he stepped towards her into the water, taking slow and careful steps. Helen could feel the air pick up in electricity as he came closer, it sent a tingling sensation over her skin.
She liked how easily he could affect her this way. Their eyes locked.
"Nikola, your pants," she pointed out; they were going to get ruined in this water.
He smirked but she could see he didn't care about them in this moment.
Nikola reached her, his hands twitching to reach out and touch her but he left them at his sides.
"Nikola…" Helen felt her heart beating rapidly. The look in his eyes both hungry and yearning and it affected her straight to her gut.
Nikola gasped out a smile, almost bashful.
"You hesitate," Helen teased, subtly letting him know that she wasn't adverse to him being there, and for wanting what he wanted.
"I…need you," he forced himself to say.
Helen stepped that much closer, grasping his hand and placing it on her chest, enjoying how it shook slightly as his palm closed around her garmented breast.
"I'm glad," she admitted, leaning forward, his lips meeting hers for a brief and tender moment, before pulling back, seeing his eyes open wider ad his adam's apple bob.
Helen smiled and leant in to kiss him again, enjoying as he kissed back strongly, his other arm bringing her flush against him.
His desires fueled hers, and soon her hairs was let down in cascades, the pins abandoned into the water and his fingers taking their place. She brought her fingers over his freshly shaven face, enjoying the feel of the smooth skin of his jaw and cheeks before creeping into his hairline and dislodging his hair from it's neat formation into wild spikes.
"I love you," he muttered into her skin, but it was lost amongst her moans.
~~~~Elsewhere~~~~
Carter and Lord Carnarvon sat out in the cool evening air under the canopy of the opened tent, enjoying a glass of brandy and laughing about all the years they'd spent in this desert.
Carnarvon saw he lights coming from the oasis and smirked.
"The boys out for a late swim, Howard?" he turned to Carter and Carter chuckled.
"The pool is mostly occupied," Carter eyed the one separate lagoon with it's own dim lighting. No surprise there.
"It must be strange for poor Helen, being the only woman within a mile's radius of this camp," Carnarvon sympathized.
"She handles it pretty well, she's been around men most of her life. What with her father and all…plus she has Javor with her, and he causes more trouble than all my men combined, so…"
Carnarvon chuckled.
"He seems like quite the character," Carnarvon relaxed further into his seat.
"Yes, but quick on his feet, he's saved this camp more than once, and he's done wonders to the cars, they haven't stalled in 6 months," shrugged Carter.
"I understand why you were so thrilled to have them join you, how'd you get them out here?" asked Carnarvon.
"They were already here, they're looking for something specific relating to the tomb…nothing by the way of jewels or fortune, more so to do with her father's work…so I joined forces with them, they get the small piece and we get the rest, a fair trade in my mind," said Carter.
"Of course, especially since they seem to know more about the tomb," joked Carnarvon.
"They have the advantage of having Gregory Magnus' daughter on their team, the man was a genius in his own right," sighed Carter.
"Yes, but I could've sworn she'd be…at least your age by now, maybe older," Carnarvon scratched his head.
"Oh yes…well, I talked with Gregory so many times I don't think I could pinpoint the times he mentioned his daughter."
"She must've been what? Twelve when he passed?" Carnarvon looked at him funny.
"I think she's very deceptive, I believe she's older than she looks, but it's rude to ask a lady her proper age," joked Carter.
Carnarvon laughed.
"True, true," he sipped his brandy and sighed. "Still, they make quite the endearing couple, have they mentioned when they plan to seal the deal?"
It was Carter's turn to laugh.
"If Javor had any say in it he would marry her tomorrow, but I think Helen wants to wait till after we find the tomb and they're back in…London or New York, wherever they decide to call home before they do that, it's not something they talk about all that much," Carter sighed.
"Am I wrong in thinking Javor looks mighty like that Tesla fellow…when he was younger…"
"Minus the mustache? Yes, I'd have to agree with you, but that Tesla fellow is in New York where he's always been, growing crazier and crazier as the years go by."
"I don't think he started off very sane to begin with, doesn't eat meat, doesn't interact with people, wouldn't even bed a woman, all he did was work, and even then he ran his business to the ground, the man was a batty Serbian from birth if you ask me," chuckled Carnarvon.
"I'm sure there's more to it than that," smiled Carter. "You can't believe everything you read in the newspapers, my friend. There is more to every man than we can assume."
Carnarvon nodded.
"Cheers to that," the two clinked glasses together. "I wonder what our mischievous couple is up to now."
"Probably no good," Carter eyed the lagoon then turned back to his friend. "Let's just hope nothing explodes."
~~~~Elsewhere~~~~
Helen stared up at the night sky, the brilliant sky of stars that seemed to go on forever. Her breathing was stilling and her chest rose quickly as she gained control of it. The sand warmed her back and the air dried her damp skin with a light wind.
Nikola lay next to her in a similar state, his breathing less controlled as her as he sucked in gulps of air only to let them out in a bashful laugh.
Their fingers were lazily entwined at their sides.
"We are ridiculous," Helen sighed, shaking her head at him. He chuckled in response, his breath not calm enough to let him say anything coherently.
His gazes moved upwards to the sky.
"Wow…you…you don't see a sky like that in New York, not even if you stood on the tallest building and looked as hard you could, you'd never find a view like that," Nikola rested a hand on his abdomen, his heart finally feeling like it was finding a resting pace.
Helen watched him with a soft smile.
"I like it," Nikola finished with a sigh. His hair was sticking up at all angles and Helen quite enjoyed how he looked like that.
"Really? Or are you just talking from a post-coital blissful haze," Helen teased.
"I don't know, both maybe," he shrugged, smiling widely as his eyes met hers. "Though the stars don't compare to the twinkle in your eyes."
Helen scoffed at the cheesy line.
"No, I mean it Helen, your eyes are stunning," he propped himself on his elbow. "It was the first thing that struck me when we first met…that and the red dress. Your cleavage looks magnificent in red."
Helen laughed.
"That would be the first thing you'd notice," Helen rolled her eyes.
"What, your eyes or your cleavage?" Nikola teased back, leaning down to kiss her tenderly.
Helen laughed and kissed him back briefly.
"Both," she shoved him back and he flopped back in the sand.
"We've known each other for far too long," he smirked.
"I don't know…I feel like every decade or so I learn something new about you," Helen sighed.
Nikola met her eyes again.
"Really?" he said.
Helen smiled.
"These last five years…it's been like getting to know you all over again," she squeezed his hand.
"Same here," he smiled, one of his more genuine grins, than the usual cheeky smile he put on for her.
"It's going to be so different when we leave this place," Helen sighed somewhat sadly.
Nikola felt his heart drop slightly.
"Right…" he looked away. "What if…what if we didn't?"
"What?" Helen sat up.
"What if we didn't, you know, leave," he propped himself on his elbows again. "What if we stayed here?"
"We can't…we both have lives we have to return to, you have you inventions, I have the Sanctuary, we can't put all those on hold to keep playing archeologists," Helen turned to him.
"I'm not talking about that…I mean this…us, traveling together, searching and discovering...why does that have to end because we've reached the end of the treasure map for this place…there is treasure everywhere, there are abnormals everywhere…your father's work doesn't end with this one discovery."
Helen bit her lip.
"Would you want that?" she met his eyes.
"I have nothing in New York, Helen, a couple of pigeons and projects to distract myself from the fact that I have nothing or no one to keep me company. My friends are wilting, I'm wilting Helen, not me…but Nikola Tesla…he's nearing seventy, moving from Hotel to Hotel because he can't afford to do anything else, waiting for the day death will finally hit him…I don't want to be him anymore…and I want to be Javor Dragoslav, scientist and adventurer and…fiancé to Helen Magnus," Nikola sheepishly added the last part.
Helen chuckled, taking it as just more of his teasing.
"Helen Magnus might have to go under the radar for while, she's becoming too old for me," sighed Helen. "But as much as I love traipsing around in the desert with you, once the tomb is found i'm going back to London and continuing my work there, I can't abandon everything I've built so far to go globe-trotting for treasure with you, as fun as that may be," she teased.
"I know that, I just meant that…I'm going to miss it," he laid back down to look at the sky again, his hand moving behind his head to support his neck.
Helen smiled and crawled up next to him, looping his arm around her to snuggled in as close as possible to him.
"Then let's make the best of it while we can," she rested her head over his heart, her arm looping around his middle.
"Ok," he mumbled.
"It'll all work out in the end, Nikola," she sighed, closing her eyes. She was ready to fall asleep right there, so she did, the grip of sleep taking her in mere moments, leaving Nikola to hold her in his strong bare arms.
He looked back up at the night sky then back down at her.
"In that case…I hope it's nowhere to be found," Nikola sighed, his arms tightening around her even more.
This was the happiest he could ever be, being with her was the most satisfying feeling he'd ever head, surpassing the World's Fair or Niagra. His happiness began and ended with her. He would give it all up in a heartbeat, even his name, if it meant she would be by his side forever. He'd made a mistake all those years ago for not confessing his feelings when he had the chance and he was a coward, a coward then and a coward now because he was too scared to fight for what he wanted, she could shatter him with just a look or rejection then he would truly have nothing.
He wasn't going to let her slip through his fingers this time, now that he had her, he'd never let her go…and they would be happy.
~~~~Author's Notes~~~~
Hey! I finally managed to write a new chappie. There will be one more installment to this arc...the longest arc i've ever written, holy moles! But five years is a long time to span. Here's a little preview for what to expect next. The Johnsons will make one or two more appearances, then the war, woot! I won't be touching too much on the actualy war..because i feel like being lazy and i don't want to get too in-depthin all that djzzzit. I might steal some inspiration from what i previously wrote in the flashbacks of OTBOP...maybe...and I'm playing aroud with TimeWarp Helen...not confirming anything either yay or nay...but I've been thinking about her making one more stop before the stories' through...can you believe it...it's almost over...please no tears...it took me a year to write this...i'm glad it's almost over then i can move on to some of the other projects i've got in mind...both Teslen...both insanely dark and twisted muahahaha! Than and i have to finish my musical...I write too much, but it's fun!