Chapter 57 – Forever and Always (Part 2)
~~~~New York, 1942~~~~
Nikola looked out the window.
It was dark outside, just midnight. All the lights of his apartment were turned off, the only light being the moon streaming through his windows.
He held a small bottle in his hand containing these small white pills.
He hated drugs of any sort. He did not find the enjoyment of being induced out of your mind, he hated forgetting and he hated being out of control even more.
But for this to work he had to entrust his control to someone else.
He had everything sorted. All his important works he had sent off to a safe location, all the unimportant papers he locked away in the safe, Helen would handle the rest. Except for one small box he entrusted Helen to move for him safely before the FBI got their hands on it. It was full of important trinkets, letters and pictures that were of personal sentimentality.
Letters from Katherine, pictures of Rose, various things of the like, and his most valued treasure, the ring he had bought for Helen.
He held it up, it's small diamond twinkling in the light.
He shouldn't keep it, but he couldn't throw it away. He kept it in case...in case what? Helen came back to him, in case he actually worked up the courage to tell her how he really felt. Hope was what it was really. Hope that one day he could have what he truly wanted.
He put the ring back in the box. He topped it with the lid then tied it securely with a ribbon. The package said To Helen on the front for Helen to find.
He took the bottle of pills gain and eyed them with a certain scrutiny.
"Take these, they will slow your heart down to a crawl, they'll think you passed away from a heart condition and you'll look believable enough to pull it off."
"Very Romeo and Juliet don't you think?"
"I thought you'd like that. Now don't worry, the coroner is a friend of mine, he'll make the switch to the cadaver. When you wake up you'll be in the morgue and I'll be here to transport you to the train station."
Nikola bit his lip as he rolled the bottle in his hands again.
Who knew dying would be this complicated?
He sat on the bed and popped the collar of his shirt open, he felt like he needed to breathe for this. Ironic, he thought.
He popped the pills into his mouth, the entire bottle and swallowed them dry, slipping the bottle into his pocket.
He leaned against the pillows and made himself comfortable. It was going to be like sleeping, nothing to worry about right?
He sighed. His vision blurred slightly as he began counting ceiling tiles.
He blacked out he was sure of it; he had no idea for how long. But when his vision returned through his bleary eyes he could see her. Helen.
"Shhh," she pressed a finger to his lips.
Not like he could form words anyways.
She was lying next to him cradling her head on one of her hands; the other was trailing up and down his body in long heavy sweeps.
It must be a dream.
His dilated pupils rolled over her. Her hair looked darker, but that could've been the light.
"Shhh," she whispered softly. "It's ok, Nikola, I will see you through this."
He gurgled as his confession threatened to slip through his lips.
"Hel...dream?" he choked out.
She smiled softly at him and rested her hand on his abdomen.
Softly as ever, she leaned down and kissed him. A gurgled moan escaped him as their lips met. He had no idea if he was kissing her back but god how he wanted to.
She pulled back slightly letting her lips slowly slide away from his.
"I...love..."
"Shhh," her finger rested on his lips, silencing him. "Don't talk, let me do this for you."
She had a glint of something he couldn't describe dancing in her eyes and in her smile.
This must be a dream.
Her smile quickly turned mischievous. Her hands slipped from his mouth and slid down his torso to his pants.
He tried to form words. What was she doing? Why? Who?
Her eyes stayed lock on his, even as her hand unbuttoned his pants and reached inside.
Through his dull mind he felt the glorious pressure that felt like it was coming from somewhere else entirely, that he was swimming in this glorious feeling. His breath hitched, his back arched and his eyes rolled back in his skull.
She leant down and kissed his neck and collarbone, nuzzling him softly. She knew he couldn't feel it, not really, he was overloaded with the pleasure of her hand caressing him that he probably didn't even know that it was her doing it. The drugs were clouding everything. That's why she chose this moment to do it. He needed comfort, and dammit, she missed him.
She stopped her ministrations and removed her hand, buttoning his pants again. She smoothed the clothes over his torso and pressed one last kiss to his lips.
He was out completely, the drugs and her manipulations knocking him out cold.
He was beautiful in this moment. So fragile and vulnerable; trusting her to take care of him.
She laid her head on his chest, his heartbeat was beyond slow; it was crawling. She could hear it beat just faintly. This was as close to dead as she could stand for him.
She pushed away from him. She only had this small window of time before she had to leave. It was not enough; it was never enough.
She got off the bed and grabbed her coat and hat off the chair.
She headed to the door when a small thing caught her eye.
A small package, addressed to her.
Her curiosity got the best of her and she untied the neat ribbon on the box.
She held it up to the light to look at its contents. His letters, his pictures; small little trinkets he deemed keepsakes. Except...one thing caught her eye, if she hadn't been in control she would've dropped the box out of shock. She picked up the object and put the box down.
She held it up to the moonlight.
His ring...her ring.
She had no idea he'd kept this.
The sight of it almost brought a tear to her eyes.
She looked back to him sleeping and bit her lip.
In that moment she knew why she never knew he'd kept it. Whose going to hold on to things that are lost?
In a moment of pure selfishness she slipped the ring on her finger and admired it in the light of the window. It still fit perfectly.
She put the lid back on the box and neatly tied it up again, setting it back where she had found it.
He would forgive her eventually.
She looked back to him and went over and kneeled by his bedside.
She kissed him softly, tenderly, lovingly.
"Yes," she whispered. "Forever and always."
With that she turned on her heel and disappeared into the night.
Nikola gasped awake shortly after. His eyes were rolling around in his skull, still bleary and out of it. He looked around lost, for what was actually several minutes only felt like half a second to him. One moment she was there, kissing him, holding him...touching him...then the next she was...gone.
Must've been a dream.
He sighed sadly before letting himself surrender to the pull of the drugs, into that sleep so close to death it was almost frightening.
It had only been a dream.
~~~~Portsmouth, 1944~~~~
The American Headquarters had taken root in one of the old mansion like palaces belonging to one Duke or another lent to their use by the king.
Nikola only ever saw two rooms. His lab, his bedroom and the hallway connecting the two. Both were heavily guarded, as well as the grounds.
People would believe that the military guard was there in case of invasions. In fact it was because he had a tendency to try and escape. It happened the first week he'd arrived and he had succeeded somewhat...which prompted them to design a tracking device, with Helen's help, and strap it to his leg, as well as Helen giving them the instructions that if he tried it again just to shoot him in the head.
So he was stuck, forced labor, to help win the war, a war he was swiftly becoming bored with, but as per his agreement they kept him fully supplied with excellent wine.
And then there were the secretaries.
His eyes wandered up the skirt of the young woman who walked into the lab with his lunch.
"Is that all you'll be needing Mr. Tesla?" she was coy, oh lord, he couldn't resist.
He stood up and went over to examine the tray.
"I believe so, Emily," he grinned. She smelt of soap and ink, and her eyes were green and her hair auburn. Her accent, oh it was the cherry on top of the delicious cake she was. British intelligence, with a dash of Irish sex princess. "But if you come by later I may be in need of your service."
When did he become such a horny bastard?
She didn't move, just blushed slightly, played with her hair, moving it subtly to the side and exposing her neck for him.
Aw hell, he needed her now.
"Would you like to see my latest invention Emily?" he asked grasping her incredibly soft hand in his. Oh lord, they felt like butter and silk...imagine that sliding down -
He shook his head to clear his mind.
"Yes, I would like that very much."
Nikola grinned and took her over to what appeared to be a big typewriter.
"What does it do?" she asked.
"It's a message machine, able to transport messages over great distances. Say we had one of these in France, they type the message, we receive it here, and there is no way the Germans can intercept it."
"That's brilliant Professor."
He smirked. That was apparently his code name, in case he had to be transported out of HQ to another secret location.
Nikola had maneuvered them into quite the position now. He stood behind her with his arms on either side of her, so close her body heat was radiating off him. His nostrils were filled with her scent and dammit if she knew what the slight sway of her hips was doing to his brain.
"You are truly a genius, Mr. Tesla," she slightly fingered the device, moving her head in such a way that exposed her gorgeous long neck to him.
"And you are truly delectable..."
He couldn't resist any more and his lips were on her neck, tenderly sucking her sweet flesh. He didn't care who came in any more.
And she, playing him like a fiddle no doubt, rocked her hips back into his, like he really need to be spurred on further.
In one last desperate move to cling to rationality he pulled back.
"I'm sorry, I, we..."
She turned around in his arms and locked her lips with his.
That little minx knew exactly what she was doing to him, and had been doing for the past three weeks. Tempting him with dropped spoons that needed picking up. Neck massages when he was tense. All those flirty looks, that lingering touch that just screamed please take me in a supply closet. And he would if it weren't for his damn guard.
He grabbed her hips and hoisted her on to the workbench, scooting his invention out of the way. To hell, he could rebuild it again; he'd already made three exact copies.
Her skirt hiked up to her thighs because of his wandering hands, his hair woven tightly around her fingers.
He took a deep breath and smiled at her before continuing his assault on her mouth. Their tongues dueled together, sliding over each other. He had to move a hand out to support himself because any moment his knees were going to buckle and she was going to end up with his face in her lap. One of her hands slid from his head and began fiddling with his tie.
He moved from her lips to her neck.
"Honestly Professor, I hoped you would've caught on sooner," she chuckled, still teasing his scalp with her perfect nails.
"I had to be sure I wasn't imagining it, Eisenhower is looking for any reason to shoot me," he switched over to the other side of her neck.
She laughed. Had God ever made such a perfect sound?
"You have been the death of me these last few weeks, all your teasing... been driving me up the bloody wall," he groaned and kissed her again.
"Good," she teased. "I've gone to sleep every night with a pillow between my legs."
Could she get any hotter?
Yep. Done for, he was done for.
He attacked her with a renewed fervor. Oh Emily...nothing could ruin this moment.
"Ahem."
Except that.
Nikola looked up from his glorious secretaries lips and saw Helen standing there looking wholly unimpressed.
He reluctantly pulled away.
"We'll have to postpone...looks like I have an impromptu meeting," he said to Emily giving her a soft smile. "Perhaps later, tonight."
She smiled.
"I'll have to see if it's in my schedule," she teased and leant by his ear. "Leave the door open for me."
He helped her off the counter and she straightened her skirts before he gave her a smile. She winked back at him and gave him a firm butt squeeze just out of the sight of Helen. It took every fiber of his being not to yelp.
She smirked and coolly walked out of the room, not even paying Helen any heed.
"Nikola," Helen groaned.
Nikola was still watching her leave.
"Oh Helen, I think I'm in love."
"With who? The artillery maid?"
"She's my secretary."
"So what I walked in on was just a little conjugation. Helping you with a little shorthand was she?"
Nikola gave her a look.
"Don't be bitter just because its not you," he teased.
"Can we just...talk," she sighed. "Not about this."
Before she could continue James and Nigel entered.
"I tell you she was looking right at me," Nigel finished saying.
"Just drop it Nigel," James sighed.
"Hey Nikola, that secretary of yours, is she single?"
"NO!" Nikola and Helen barked simultaneously.
"All right, yeesh, don't bite my head off," he shrugged.
James gave them a tell tale eyebrow raise.
"Please, gentlemen we have more important manners to discuss," Helen tried to steer the conversation back to business before the whole thing dissolved into blather about female body parts.
"Right, the mission," sighed Nikola. "I'd almost forgotten,"
Helen glared at him.
"We are currently the foremost experts on Abnormals and our contacts have suggested to us that Hitler may have acquired a very powerful abnormal which he will plan to use to turn the tide of war in his favor."
"Yes, yes, we all read the briefing," mumbled Nikola. "Something to do with weather which will thwart our plan of attack on the beach front. We get it, you have no idea how many times one of those higher ups come in here to remind me of my part in the war effort, get to the part where we actually go there and stop it."
"You're not going anywhere, Nikola, it is only James, Nigel and I who will be heading to France," said Helen.
"What? You can't be serious?" Nikola grumbled.
"Eisenhower wants you here. You can't be trusted," Helen shook her head.
"Because of one escape attempt, please Helen, I'm the best candidate to go, I'm practically a guarantee that the job will get done."
"Yes, but there is no guarantee that you will come back," Helen sighed and he grumbled.
"Yah but by that time the war would have been won and Eisenhower and his lackey's won't need me anymore," shrugged Nikola.
"Back on topic," James grumbled.
"Thank you, James," sighed Helen. "As I said, Nigel, James and I will be meeting with members of the Resistance in France who will help us get the plans for the Weather Machine, and turn it off so that our American troops can –"
"Swoop in and save the day," Nikola teased.
"It's either Hitler or us and I'll be damned if it's Hitler," Helen said determinedly.
"I think we would be all damned if I was Hitler," mumbled Nikola.
"Will you be serious for one moment, Nikola!" Helen barked.
"Hey, I'm here against my will, I'm allowed to grumble. You should've just left me in France, I would've been a much better help to you," Nikola whined.
"Oh yes because you shagging up the French ladies is tantamount to working for the Allied governments," Helen glared at him.
"You'd surprised what some women will scream out under the hands of a master," Nikola smirked.
James rolled his eyes.
Helen growled in frustration and disgust.
Nigel snickered.
"At least Nigel appreciates me," Nikola said indignantly.
"You're staying here!" Helen barked. "That's final, stop whining about it!"
"Fine," he sighed and leaned against the table, crossing his arms.
"We leave in an hour," Helen continued to James and Nigel.
They both nodded in response.
"Nikola, we want to try out your new device, is it ready?" asked Helen.
Nikola looked up.
"Helen, what else do you think I've been doing?" he gestured to the room around him.
"Aside from wasting my time?" Helen said crossly.
"Yes, it's ready," he seethed.
He picked up the smaller counterpart to the large typewriter.
"It will work, just keep it safe and dry," he placed a special lid on the box that locked onto the device's base creating it's own carrier.
He handed it to Helen.
"Please don't break it," he teased.
"God forbid that, how ever will you get your Nobel prize?" Helen rolled her eyes. "Now, Nikola will be here to help strategize, and as a front liner from us to Eisenhower. Understood?"
Nikola nodded.
"How are we getting into France? Won't the Nazis be guarding every land strip and harbor?" asked Nigel.
"We'll be dropped, a couple hundred miles outside of Paris in a Resistance controlled zone and from there they will get us to Carentan," said Helen.
"With any luck it will be all smooth sailing from there," added James.
"Good luck with that," muttered Nikola.
"Can we trust you not to get too distracted while we're gone?" Helen turned to Nikola and glared at him pointedly.
"Well it's not like I'm going on vacation," Nikola sneered.
Helen gave him another glare.
"Alright then, gentlemen, we leave in the hour," Helen nodded to James and Nigel and they both turned and left.
"Bye bye, bring me back some French wine, a good vintage, either a Bordeaux or a Claret, you know what surprise me," Nikola teased as he waved.
Nigel and James waved back.
"Yeah, yeah," they waved him off.
When they were gone Helen turned to Nikola, her demeanor softening somewhat.
Nikola turned and smiled to her.
"Miss me?" he asked coyly.
Helen huffed and swatted his shoulder.
"You are impossible," she sighed.
He chuckled.
"It's not too late, you could still take me with you," he took her hand and kissed the top of it lightly.
"It's not me, Nikola, otherwise you would be chained to the wall," she sighed.
"Ooh, be still my beating heart," he grinned at her mischievously.
She swatted him again.
"You know what I mean," she glared at him.
"Come on, you and the guys always get to go on these little adventures. I don't mind saying Helen that I'm beginning to feel tremendously left out."
"I'll try to keep you in the loop as much as I can," she lifted up the device for emphasis.
"Right. You remember my instructions for how to operate it, right?" he asked.
"Yes I remember the very thorough demonstration," she rolled her eyes.
"Hide it somewhere only you can find it," he intimated.
"I know," she sighed.
"And this," he grabbed something from underneath his workbench. "Try to keep it on at all times."
He opened a small velvet box.
"What is it?" her curiosity was piqued.
Inside the box was what looked like a beautifully simple silver bracelet.
"It's made to look trivial, more like a keepsake and less like a device, in case you get into trouble over there," he lifted it out of the box and grabbed her arm, putting it on her wrist. "If you get caught I'll be able to track that bracelet to anywhere, as long as it's on you."
Helen was flattered at the simple accessory.
"Nikola that's unnecessary – "
"Helen, please, just humor me," he sighed. "I get it that I can't go with you but can I at least have some assurance that you'll be safe."
His concern melted her heart a little.
Despite all that had happened the past few years they were still friends. More than friends in a way. They weren't lovers or even sleeping together for that matter. But through the years of fighting and loving there was one definite truth. They would always look out for one another, no matter what.
"Aww, you worried for me?" she teased him.
"What are best friends for?" he shrugged.
"Is that what you're calling yourself now?" she poked his chest.
"Hey, I have justly earned those rights. Out of all of us I'm the one who knows you best," he shrugged.
"What makes you say that?" Helen smirked, she couldn't wait to hear this.
"It's obvious Helen, I've gotten to know all sides of you…rather intimately…and I'm not just talking about sex," he grinned. "I've known you the longest, I've seen you at your best and your worst, I know your love and your hate. I know your body…quite well…and I like to think I'm well acquainted with your mind," he smirked. "Hence I am your best friend."
"Or my greatest annoyance," she teases.
"And that's the other thing, you don't treat me like you treat James and Nigel. They're brothers, they are there for you when you are in need of comfort, and look after you, and all that. But I'm the one you tell secrets, I'm the one you play with. Friend. Bested!" he grinned triumphantly.
"You have a mighty high opinion of yourself," she grinned back.
"And I maintain it with complete confidence," he said smugly.
Helen chuckled and rolled her eyes, leaning over to kiss his cheek.
"You really are a moron beneath that genius guise of yours," she sighed.
"Doesn't stop you from loving me," he grinned.
"All right, I've had about enough of you as I can stand. I'll message you when we arrive. Please try not to shag the secretary on top of the device, if you can manage it."
She turned to leave.
"You'll keep the bracelet on, won't you?" he asked.
"For you, of course," she smiled softly.
"That's all I ask," he smiled and gestured grandly in farewell.
"Please behave while I'm gone."
"No promises," he called after her.
"Cheeky monkey!"
"Control freak!"
"Troublemaker!"
"Warmonger!"
Nikola chuckled as she disappeared.
Troublemaker…good one.
He snickered and looked around his office absently.
Well, it's not like he had anything better to do.
He pressed the button on the intercom on his desk.
"Oh Emily," he sing-songed into the speaker. "Could I see you for a moment?"
"What is it, Professor?"
"Nothing…just a little…long hand I could use your help with."
There was a ten second pause, and dammit if it didn't just spurn him on.
"I'll be there in just a minute, Professor," she said as professionally as possible.
"Is that how long it will take you to finish your work?" he teased.
"That's how long it will take to remove my underwear," she whispered back.
Nikola froze with absolute desire, shock, and just a hint of desperation, his hand stuck on the intercom button.
Dammit, Helen would just have to wait.
~~~~Later~~~~
True to his word. He did not shag her on top of the autotype.
Just…very close by it…in case it started clicking or something.
Her hands were so deeply entangled in his hair he was sure he was missing chunks of it. Her legs wounds around his hips tightly, encouraging him closer, and his hands wound around her back and clutched at her white blouse that clung to her sweaty back.
He grunted and his lips disconnected from hers. One of his hands shooting out ot catch himself on the workbench.
"Oh lord, I wanted to do that from the moment you were assigned to me," he groaned, sucking in huge gulps of air.
"Why didn't you?" she sighed just as breathlessly.
"I don't know, professionally courtesy," he chuckled straightening himself up.
"I hope this time you realize…"
"Oh yeah," he nodded and laughed, leaning into to kiss her once a gain. "Won't be making that mistake again."
She giggled as his hands clutched her face, playfully kissing her and maneuvering her to lie on the workbench.
"Ahem," a brusque military voice coughed and ruined the beautifully enchanting moment with his Irish sex princess.
He looked up to see the young commander with his chest puffed out standing at attention.
"Can't you knock?" he asked snidely.
Emily sprung up and hopped off the workbench and behind Nikola to straighten herself out.
"Sorry, sir, urgent message from Eisenhower," the officer held out a slip of paper.
Nikola took it and was about to unfold it.
"Ah, ah, ah," warned the officer and pointed to Emily.
Nikola looked at Emily and she looked back at him with an equal amount of confusion on her face.
Nikola handed her the slip of paper and read it.
Her green eyed widened in shock.
"I'm being transferred?" she gasped, looking up to the officer.
"What?" Nikola looked at the paper and read it carefully. "By whose recommendation?"
"Dr. Magnus, sir," said the officer and Nikola growled.
"Of course it is," he seethed.
"You are being moved to a new division immediately," continued the officer. "You'll have a new secretary by the end of the day."
He didn't want a new secretary, he liked the one he had.
"Oh," Emily fixed her hair and looked at Nikola. "I guess I have to go then."
Nikola looked at her with a look of longing.
"Can you give us a moment, please," he asked the officer, he nodded but didn't leave. "You're dismissed."
The officer nodded.
"Thank you sir," he curly bowed and left.
"Oh damn that woman!" Nikola cried.
"She has you on a tight leash, has she?" Emily grinned.
"She can't stand me having a bit of fun, that joyless wench!" Nikola writhed, sticking his nose in the crease of her neck and nuzzling it gently.
Emily chuckled and kissed the side of his head gently.
"Well, we at least had a bit of fun before it was over, right?" she consoled him gently.
"She thinks you'll distract me from my work," he whined.
"And will I?" she grinned deviously.
"Yes, but it would be a welcome distraction," his hand slid down her curves, the curves he had just moment ago wrapped around his body, and now they were walking away. He was going to miss those hips.
"Maybe we'll cross paths again," she said putting on her blazer and heels.
He was going to miss that butt too. He watched her as she leant over to fetch her shoes.
"Tell me one thing before you go," he called to her as she continued to walk out. "Was it worth getting possibly kicked out of the army for?"
She turned and gave him a big smirk.
"Definitely," she chuckled and then walked professionally out of the lab.
Nikola sighed; he could live with that.
~~~~January 7, 1943~~~~
It was the late shift. No one was around on the late shift, all the late night partiers had brought their dates or wives up already with a bottle of champagne and some hushed laughter.
She liked working this shift. It was quiet, few people, and him. This was his floor, she always cleaned it at night, in fear of seeing him in the day. She traded shifts, had been for years, the she got herself on the night cleaning duty. Now she was free to clean the halls. It was ridiculous, really, to be this scared of one man. Time had gone by, she was now married, to a soldier no less, and really it had happened so quickly she knew it was nothing more than a distraction. Her soldier, her husband, she didn't love him, not enough anyways. Now she had one son, named Nicolas…I don't know, it was fitting. And with the timing so close…sometimes she caught herself pretending it was his. For that reason that little brown haired boy with blue-grey eyes was her world.
But even so, she allowed the fantasy as she cleaned the 40th floor.
There wasn't much to do on the night shift, just more or less comb the floors for any unwanted debris.
This whole floor…it smelt like him, his cologne, his musk. It was warm and comforting, especially on such cold nights as these.
God if he could see her now. She looked ten years older, with hollow eyes, pale skin, and her hair…it was down her back now. The few glimpses she'd seen of him from behind the concierge desk or through the elevator doors. He looked the same as he ever was, like not a day had gone by. He still smelt the same.
What was the nickname he used to call her? Peaches? Well. Whatever it was…it was long gone now.
Marriage dampened her spunk, work had worn her sparkle, and she put every effort into putting what she could save into her boy.
He'd call her a hypocrite for running off with some man-child and having his baby. Maybe that's why she couldn't ever look him in the eye. That and she could still…she could still see his face.
Memories clouded her mind, beautiful, wonderful, untainted memories that she'd preserved only for these times when she could be alone on this floor to dream about him awash in his scent.
When had she started thinking about that precious time as her youth. It was only about six years ago, she was hardly middle aged. Maybe the war made her feel old.
She sighed and continued her daydreaming.
Suddenly the door…his door, it clicked and opened with a deafening creak.
She quickly ducked into the shadows to hide herself. Maybe it was him, oh god if he saw her like this, she would rather launch herself out the hotel window.
The window down the corridor provided a little light for her to see the silhouette of whoever it was stepping outside of the hotel room. It surely couldn't be Mr. Tesla. Mr. Tesla never came out any more, come to think of it she rarely saw him either and you never saw them together ever. Not in all the years she worked here or how many times she had been in that room they were never in the room together…come to think of it she never had actually seen Tesla.
Her curiosity increased.
The form was muddled as it huddled to close the door behind them. It had to be Mr. Tesla.
Then the form straightened and brushed her long hair over her shoulders.
She recognized this woman…it was her…whoever she was…the one…she bit her lip. What was she doing here?
She wanted to follow the woman, go up to her and blame her for all her misery. That would cut her down to size wouldn't it?
She stepped out of the shadows and began her trek up to the woman. The woman didn't hear her and began heading the other way, to the stairwell.
The stairwell, perfect, she could scream at this woman to her hearts content without disturbing the slumbering guests.
She kept following, her chin up and her stance confident.
Then she passed the door and heard what sounded like a painful gasp and her mission was quickly forgotten. It was faint but she heard it. She went to the door and rested her ear against the fine wood, her fingers touching it gently.
Tesla? No, it was him…what did that woman do to him?
She pulled out her keys and quickly unlocked the door. Stepping inside without a second.
"Javor?" the name quivered on her lips.
The only light in the apartment was coming from the windows over looking the New York skyline.
"Javor? Tesla?" she called gently.
There was no response, and she shivered at the eeriness of it all.
She carefully tiptoed into the bedroom, there was a form in the bed she could see, but she wasn't sure if she should stir it. What if this was just a big misunderstanding then he would see her and see how far she'd fallen. She turned to go, deciding against it.
The sight of the early dawn through the windows stopped her. If he was in trouble no one would be here to check on him for a few hours and he could need immediate medical assistance.
She turned back to the bed and let out a sigh, mustering all her courage she gently reached down and pulled the cover down over the form.
Empty, motionless, grey eyes met her. She gasped.
He lay there. Him. Not Tesla. Him. His skin was cold, his body unmoving.
It couldn't be.
Her hand crawled to this neck and search for anything, a beat a flicker. He was stone cold dead.
She backed away from him, she didn't know what to do, she didn't have any words or thoughts or opinions. So she screamed.
~~~~Portsmouth, 1944~~~~
Nikola sulked in his lab at the American Headquarters in the small town of Portsmouth.
Where was that insufferable women?
He looked over at his autotype.
It was still and quiet.
He growled. He was going to kill her when she got back. It was bad enough that he was stuck here, but she had to take away his only comfort, and he wasn't even done exploring all of her either.
It had been several hours since he had seen her and even fewer since he had his gorgeous ex-secretary wrapped around his waist.
"I should've gone," he growled.
He was getting bored of looking out the window waiting for that blasted machine to start working…and it was going to work, he had spent the last few months doing extensive tests. If it worked in Scotland it would work in France, god if anything worked in Scotland…
He shook his head.
His new secretary was to be arriving soon…maybe the new one would be just as much fun as the last one.
He snickered to himself.
He'd just have to meet her then…he was almost excited for it now. He hadn't thought that his new secretary could possibly be hotter than his last one.
Suddenly, as if on cue the door to his lab opened and a terribly cute, pixie-cut blonde woman entered and saluted at him.
He smiled. Thank you Helen.
"Hello," he said in greeting to the gorgeous woman. She wasn't quite Emily but she definitely had her redeeming features.
"Your new secretary, Professor," she said with a coy and undoubtedly sexy smile.
It sent all sorts of dirty messages to his brain.
"You don't say," he said with a devious smirk.
The woman turned and opened the door.
"Come in," she said.
That deflated him somewhat.
A young man entered and smiled at him. He wore his military uniform and had his hair neatly parted and slicked down and he stood proudly before Nikola. He could tell by the flags and medals this young man was American.
"Professor, it's an honor to assist you," he said with a military proficiency.
Damn you, Helen.
Nikola stared unimpressed at the chap.
"You're my new secretary?" he pointed a finger at the kid.
"Liason Officer, here to assist you with anything you might need," said the young man.
Nikola sneered.
"Swell," he grumbled.
He looked over at the cute blonde who stood waiting to be dismissed. He'd rather dismiss the yank and keep her at attention.
He sighed.
"You're dismissed," he said sadly.
She nodded and left the room. He watched her perfectly bouncing rear as she skipped out with a longing disappointment.
"I have heard so many stories, Mr. Tesla, they briefed me when they assigned me, can I say it's an honor to me a man of your…caliber," the young Officer said proudly.
"How much did they tell you?"
"I don't know if it's everything, but I do know your mission, your skill set, you're stubborn, oh, and also that you are an immortal vampire," the boy said smugly, as if he has a one-up over the aged scientist.
Nikola stared slightly impressed by his cocky attitude. Then sneered again.
"I'm not stubborn," he huffed.
"And also I'm not allowed to let you leave this room or leave you alone with any female personnel," added the young officer.
"Lovely," he grumbled.
"And that I'm to shoot you if you try to escape," the young man, as either a joke or for a point, pulled out his weapon and removed the safety then put it back in it's holster.
Nikola looked at him skeptically.
"Alright, I have rules for you then. When I ask for something you get it for me without question, you don't touch the autotype, or my wine, and if I'm need some important thing you better be prepared to bend over backwards to see that it is met," Nikola said not breaking eye contact, standing to full height.
"Isn't that what got your last secretary transferred?" teased the soldier.
Nikola guffawed. The Yankee Blue had a sense of humor.
"Your not my type," Nikola gave smirked. "But I will keep that in mind when the time comes for your personal review."
The soldier chuckled.
"Oh, and nothing that is said in this room goes out of this room unless I expressly say so, is that clear?" Nikola said authoritatively.
"Yes sir," the officer nodded.
"Good, now, I need a cup of tea, black, two sugars, no cream, one lemon, understood?"
"Tea. Black. Two sugars. One lemon. Got it," he nodded.
"Good, dismissed," Nikola waved him off and turned to his blackboard to distract himself with complex equations.
As soon as the officer was gone, the phone rang.
Nikola groaned and went over to it to pick it up.
"What?" he barked into the receiver.
"Enjoying your new assistant?" he recognized the voice on instant and seethed.
"You," he growled menacingly.
"I'm sorry Nikola," Helen laughed. "But I Had to ensure you'd keep your mind on the job and not up some woman's skirt."
"She was not just someone…she was special," he said lamely.
"Really?" Helen did not sound convinced.
"I shared a really special connection with her," Nikola continued.
"Oh yeah, I've had that before…it's not that great," Helen teased.
"You've never complained about it before," Nikola flirted and she laughed again.
"Nikola, seriously," Helen's tone changed. "We need you at your best."
Nikola sighed.
"All right, but you owe me when you get back," he muttered running a hand over his head.
"I'll take you for a night out on the terrace," she joked.
"As long as there is a bottle of wine and you're wearing a sheer gown I will not complain," Nikola shrugged.
"I'll send you message on the autotype when we have it in place," she said.
"Helen…" Nikola called before she could hang up.
The momentary silence frightened him a little.
"Yes, Nikola," her voice was soft and he felt a small smile crest his face.
"Give them hell for me," his smile upturned into a smirk.
"Will do," her voice rang with her smile and he chuckled.
"Later, Helen," he sat up off his desk to hang up the phone.
"Nikola…" Helen said.
"Yes," he said all-too-eagerly.
"Later," she sighed.
They hung up the phone simultaneously.
Nikola looked at the moment for a tense second. Wondering if that was what she truly meant to say to him…but he shook it off. He was tired of waiting for her, hoping for her. That's why he had resigned himself to being the second most important thing, her best friend. It was better than being nothing.
He went back to his blackboard and brought a hand to his chin as he contemplated a new theory. You know…just in case things didn't go as planned.
~~~~Author's Notes~~~~
What do you think? You like?
The next update won't be as quick as the last few have been but I promise it's going to be a good. The penultimate chapter to the finale of this very long fic...long on my part, you guys probably feel like it's only just started. My goal is to possibly reach 250k words, but that will all depend on how long the next few chapters actually end up being. Are you excited, or sad that it's ending?
Well, have fun and enjoy reading.