p class="MsoNormal"Comment:span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHi guys, a few warnings and style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"This is a gay romance that will become VERY adult at a certain style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThere is very, very mild style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span(According to some studies, attraction between two people is actually maximized when people are third or fourth style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHistorically, it's likely that most couples were related to at least that degree.)span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThere's discussion and use of assisted reproduction technology, resulting in the eventual formation of a same-sex parented style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThere's homophobic violence that is somewhat style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThere's also some Christianity and style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"Online, I found some internet rumors that claim that some of Tesla's relatives were killed during the various wars in the Balkans, but it's not clear to me if it is true or just political accusations between enemy groups that are holding a style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWilliam Terbo, Tesla's last relative, is on record saying that Tesla's family simply had very few children, and that this explains the lack of relatives and style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHopefully, in reality that is the case...span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"Also, a heads style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanFor this story I have reversed the order of events from the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanNikola works for SCIU while still a style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe then later has his mishap with the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanCarry on to the fun!/p
p class="MsoNormal".../p
p class="MsoNormal""Helen..."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe woke to the startling sight of Nikola standing over her bed, dressed to the nines, entirely in style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Could I borrow the jet in the morning?" he asked softly, with a sad style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"My God, style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHow did you get in here?"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe sat up, slightly alarmed at his bizarre style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"And where did you get that suit?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIt's better than what you've been wearing lately, but still..."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe sniffed quietly, trying not to show her enjoyment of the familiar scent of that lovely cologne he'd been wearing since style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal""Hugo Boss."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe muttered then continued, "I magnetically opened the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIt's an emergency."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"It must be if you're wearing something off the rack-"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Helen, please, I need-"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe choked up for a moment and she became style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"What is it?" she whispered as she got out of bed and took his hand in style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe looked up into her eyes with a defeated air, "Bill Terbo died."/p
p class="MsoNormal"…/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe funeral home was not buying Nikola's story of being a long-lost relative from style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanBesides the fact that William 'Bill' Terbo was well known as the last living relative of Nikola Tesla, she thought that it might have something to do with the slight New York accent Nikola's Serbian had developed over the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWhen a burly man came out and started cussing him out, Helen grabbed Nikola's arm and started physically pulling him away from what was shaping up into a street style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Come on Nikola!span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanYou're not going to convince them by telling them to suck your dick."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"That fucking asshole!span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanDo you know what he said to me?!"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHelen just nodded and continued dragging him down the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Yeah, something like, eat shit and fuck your...blood?" she muttered style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe opened the door to the rental car and shoved him headfirst into it./p
p class="MsoNormal"He slumped in the seat looking style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Yeah, he said I'm a bullshitter and cursed my style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIs that supposed to be ironic or what..."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe tall dark-haired man put his face in his style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"I just wanted to see style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWhy didn't I go see him before?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe last time I saw him he was a little boy."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHelen started up the car and was about to leave when Nikola abruptly looked up and insisted, "No, let's stay and watch them go."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe sighed exasperated, "Nikola, there's no one there who's related to you style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThey're just his wife's family, you know that."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe open look of distress in his eyes was uncharacteristically style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"I-I'm alone now."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHelen scoffed, "Don't be style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanYou've never cared about your style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAnd besides, you have me don't you?"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"Nikola swallowed and visibly composed himself, that momentary softness gliding smoothly behind his usual cool, polished style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe thought she could almost see the gears turning behind his icy blue style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Do I?" he asked softly, almost to himself, then pasted on a false style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Do I now?" he said style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Is that a proposal?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI must say, I've waited so long-"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHelen scoffed and hit the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"In your dreams, Nikola."/p
p class="MsoNormal"...span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"After his failed attempt to attend his last living relative's funeral, Nikola seemed even more depressed than after he lost his style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHelen and her staff were shocked to see him leave his room after noon, looking unrecognizably disheveled in a wrinkled undershirt and style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAfter several days of the same routine, Helen finally decided to investigate and followed him to the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal""Nikola, how many of those have you had?" she asked, taking away his half full wine style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Hmm?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanOh, that, it's, I dunno..." he muttered drunkenly, then reached for his style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe held it away from him, took a sip then almost spit it style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"What is this?!" she sputtered after choking it style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe gestured idly toward the large bottle, a jug really, sitting on the counter, not even bothering to style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe dumped the cheap red liquid down the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Is this cooking wine?"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Ss-called Carlo Rossi, I style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanCome on Helen, give me back my glass."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"Helen put the glass down then took him by the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"What's wrong with you?" she asked softly, pulling him back to face her when he tried to turn away and style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Nothin'...nothin' at all." he style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Just tryin' to have some fun, before I, before...I figure out how to revamp myself is all."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe smiled at her crookedly, but his smile didn't reach his style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanA suspicion bloomed in her mind, one she didn't like at style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Nikola..." she drew it out, a warning in her style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"What are you planning?"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe scoffed and tossed his head, yanking his hands out of style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"You should help me!span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHow long have I got left anyhow?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAs a mortal-" he spat the word out venomously, "who will age, go senile and die!"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"She tried to placate him, "I'll help you if you get sick-"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Aging is a disease and you already know the cure!" he yelled, clenching his style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe narrowed her eyes at the implied threat, despite the realization that she'd never seen him angry while drunk before and couldn't predict what he might style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"I won't help you experiment on style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanYou remember the tests, the failures we had when we first developed the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHow many rats died until we got it right?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanEighty percent?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanNinety?"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"I don't care!"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe slammed her fist down on the counter, "Well, I DO!span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI care a lot."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAngry tears filled her eyes, as she tried to get her oldest friend to give up this style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Don't, don't destroy what you've got, just to try and get back what you had."/p
p class="MsoNormal"The sight of her impatiently brushing away tears at the thought of him dying took the wind out of his style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe slumped in defeat then tentatively reached for style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Helen, style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanDon't cry."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe let him wrap his skinny arms around her shoulders but stood stiffly in his awkward embrace as he said, "I'm style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI just, I feel like such an idiot with what's happened, and I-I don't want to die."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe pulled away from him to look him in the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Have you been thinking a lot about dying?"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe emptiness she saw steal across his face chilled her to the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"No."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe withdrew and started to leave the room until she called out to style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Don't leave style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanNikola, style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI-I-" She stumbled on her words, wishing she could say those three little words, but fear held her style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanNikola looked over his shoulder at her, "I know," he said softly, then style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"…/p
p class="MsoNormal"Nikola peered through the eyepiece of the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe cells were less numerous than they should be and there were mutations, doubled tails or heads, crooked and swimming style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThis was the third sample he had taken, hoping against hope that somehow the first two were style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe was coming to the conclusion that his rudimentary knowledge of microbiology wasn't going to be enough to make a definitive style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe would need to have Helen look at it to receive a prognosis./p
p class="MsoNormal"…/p
p class="MsoNormal"Helen was blunt as style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"You're infertile."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanNikola clenched his style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"What about assisted reproduction?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWould that make it possible?"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe brunette shook her head with a style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"I'm surprised you're even investigating style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanYou've never expressed any desire for children before."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe persisted, "Are you sure it's impossible?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanCan you tell me the probability of success?"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHelen sighed and pinched the bridge of her style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"With deformed morphology this severe, it's less than 5%.span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI can tell you that style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAnd with such a low count, I'm not seeing any normal appearing sperm that have good style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWho would you even reproduce with?"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"Nikola was silent for a long moment, then said simply, "I was hoping you would-"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHelen shook her head interjecting, "What on earth?!span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThat's a big assumption."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanNikola actually style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"I thought...I mean, can you still...?"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe waved the question away annoyed, "Yes, but I...I can't go through that style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAnd, well, we're not even lovers right now, much less-"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanNikola cut her off quickly, "I would marry style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI want style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanYou're my family style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanPlease, please marry me."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHelen was flabbergasted at her friend's open style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"You've lost your style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI don't want to get style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanYou're so far off the mark-"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe advanced on her and grabbed her by the shoulders talking over her, "No, don't, please, just think about it!"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe brought her hands up abruptly, broke his grip and shoved him style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Stop it!span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI don't want to marry you and I certainly don't want to have children with you!"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"An unexpected crashing sound caused them to freeze and look over to find Will standing in the doorway, the clipboard he had been carrying lying in a mess at his style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Shit!span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI'm sorry, let me get this and I'll go."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe fumbled around awkwardly gathering the paperwork, until Magnus took pity on style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Just leave it style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI'll get style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanGo on."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe glanced up, his wide blue eyes darting nervously between his boss and Tesla who had turned his back on the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Uh, okay..."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe hesitated then asked, "Are you sure you'll be alright?"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanTesla rounded on him and screamed "Get out you nosy bastard!"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHelen simply shut the door in her protégé's face./p
p class="MsoNormal"…/p
p class="MsoNormal""I won't have you drink yourself to death under my style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIf you want to spend every waking moment blitzed, you'll have to do it somewhere else!"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanNikola didn't even bother to yell back at her, he just slumped on the couch and looked blearily up at the woman he style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanFilling his eyes with the sight of her, even when she was angry with him, was the only thing that was keeping him going at style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe'd given up on her changing her mind about style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe didn't want to commit to style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanMaybe she couldn't forgive all the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanMaybe he just couldn't be style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe supposed that was style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanEven when he put it all on the line, she rejected him, so what was the point in trying anymore?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe only person he'd ever trusted, and here she was, kicking him out of her style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe nodded and got unsteadily to his feet./p
p class="MsoNormal""You'll stop right?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanPlease, just stop."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanNikola sighed, "Yeah, I'll style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe novelty was wearing off anyway."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHis expression was like a locked gate as he told her, "I'm leaving style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanJust have to figure out where I'll go, what I want to do with the rest of my existence."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHelen reached out toward him but pulled back when he shook his head and leaned away from style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe tried reaching out with her words style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"I wish you wouldn't style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWe can work it out...Remember how it used to be in ninety-eight, the opening of the Secession building, how happy we were?"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe seemed to steel himself and replied, "Memories of Vienna were enough for me style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIt's not style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI want more than that."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWith that he left./p
p class="MsoNormal"…/p
p class="MsoNormal"This is a gay romance that will become VERY adult at a certain style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThere is very, very mild style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span(According to some studies, attraction between two people is actually maximized when people are third or fourth style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHistorically, it's likely that most couples were related to at least that degree.)span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThere's discussion and use of assisted reproduction technology, resulting in the eventual formation of a same-sex parented style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThere's homophobic violence that is somewhat style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThere's also some Christianity and style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"Online, I found some internet rumors that claim that some of Tesla's relatives were killed during the various wars in the Balkans, but it's not clear to me if it is true or just political accusations between enemy groups that are holding a style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWilliam Terbo, Tesla's last relative, is on record saying that Tesla's family simply had very few children, and that this explains the lack of relatives and style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHopefully, in reality that is the case...span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"Also, a heads style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanFor this story I have reversed the order of events from the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanNikola works for SCIU while still a style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe then later has his mishap with the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanCarry on to the fun!/p
p class="MsoNormal".../p
p class="MsoNormal""Helen..."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe woke to the startling sight of Nikola standing over her bed, dressed to the nines, entirely in style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Could I borrow the jet in the morning?" he asked softly, with a sad style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"My God, style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHow did you get in here?"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe sat up, slightly alarmed at his bizarre style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"And where did you get that suit?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIt's better than what you've been wearing lately, but still..."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe sniffed quietly, trying not to show her enjoyment of the familiar scent of that lovely cologne he'd been wearing since style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal""Hugo Boss."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe muttered then continued, "I magnetically opened the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIt's an emergency."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"It must be if you're wearing something off the rack-"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Helen, please, I need-"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe choked up for a moment and she became style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"What is it?" she whispered as she got out of bed and took his hand in style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe looked up into her eyes with a defeated air, "Bill Terbo died."/p
p class="MsoNormal"…/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe funeral home was not buying Nikola's story of being a long-lost relative from style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanBesides the fact that William 'Bill' Terbo was well known as the last living relative of Nikola Tesla, she thought that it might have something to do with the slight New York accent Nikola's Serbian had developed over the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWhen a burly man came out and started cussing him out, Helen grabbed Nikola's arm and started physically pulling him away from what was shaping up into a street style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Come on Nikola!span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanYou're not going to convince them by telling them to suck your dick."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"That fucking asshole!span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanDo you know what he said to me?!"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHelen just nodded and continued dragging him down the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Yeah, something like, eat shit and fuck your...blood?" she muttered style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe opened the door to the rental car and shoved him headfirst into it./p
p class="MsoNormal"He slumped in the seat looking style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Yeah, he said I'm a bullshitter and cursed my style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIs that supposed to be ironic or what..."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe tall dark-haired man put his face in his style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"I just wanted to see style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWhy didn't I go see him before?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe last time I saw him he was a little boy."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHelen started up the car and was about to leave when Nikola abruptly looked up and insisted, "No, let's stay and watch them go."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe sighed exasperated, "Nikola, there's no one there who's related to you style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThey're just his wife's family, you know that."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe open look of distress in his eyes was uncharacteristically style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"I-I'm alone now."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHelen scoffed, "Don't be style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanYou've never cared about your style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAnd besides, you have me don't you?"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"Nikola swallowed and visibly composed himself, that momentary softness gliding smoothly behind his usual cool, polished style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe thought she could almost see the gears turning behind his icy blue style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Do I?" he asked softly, almost to himself, then pasted on a false style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Do I now?" he said style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Is that a proposal?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI must say, I've waited so long-"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHelen scoffed and hit the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"In your dreams, Nikola."/p
p class="MsoNormal"...span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"After his failed attempt to attend his last living relative's funeral, Nikola seemed even more depressed than after he lost his style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHelen and her staff were shocked to see him leave his room after noon, looking unrecognizably disheveled in a wrinkled undershirt and style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAfter several days of the same routine, Helen finally decided to investigate and followed him to the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal""Nikola, how many of those have you had?" she asked, taking away his half full wine style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Hmm?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanOh, that, it's, I dunno..." he muttered drunkenly, then reached for his style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe held it away from him, took a sip then almost spit it style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"What is this?!" she sputtered after choking it style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe gestured idly toward the large bottle, a jug really, sitting on the counter, not even bothering to style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe dumped the cheap red liquid down the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Is this cooking wine?"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Ss-called Carlo Rossi, I style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanCome on Helen, give me back my glass."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"Helen put the glass down then took him by the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"What's wrong with you?" she asked softly, pulling him back to face her when he tried to turn away and style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Nothin'...nothin' at all." he style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Just tryin' to have some fun, before I, before...I figure out how to revamp myself is all."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe smiled at her crookedly, but his smile didn't reach his style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanA suspicion bloomed in her mind, one she didn't like at style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Nikola..." she drew it out, a warning in her style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"What are you planning?"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe scoffed and tossed his head, yanking his hands out of style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"You should help me!span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHow long have I got left anyhow?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAs a mortal-" he spat the word out venomously, "who will age, go senile and die!"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"She tried to placate him, "I'll help you if you get sick-"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Aging is a disease and you already know the cure!" he yelled, clenching his style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe narrowed her eyes at the implied threat, despite the realization that she'd never seen him angry while drunk before and couldn't predict what he might style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"I won't help you experiment on style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanYou remember the tests, the failures we had when we first developed the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHow many rats died until we got it right?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanEighty percent?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanNinety?"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"I don't care!"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe slammed her fist down on the counter, "Well, I DO!span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI care a lot."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAngry tears filled her eyes, as she tried to get her oldest friend to give up this style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Don't, don't destroy what you've got, just to try and get back what you had."/p
p class="MsoNormal"The sight of her impatiently brushing away tears at the thought of him dying took the wind out of his style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe slumped in defeat then tentatively reached for style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Helen, style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanDon't cry."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe let him wrap his skinny arms around her shoulders but stood stiffly in his awkward embrace as he said, "I'm style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI just, I feel like such an idiot with what's happened, and I-I don't want to die."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe pulled away from him to look him in the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Have you been thinking a lot about dying?"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe emptiness she saw steal across his face chilled her to the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"No."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe withdrew and started to leave the room until she called out to style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Don't leave style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanNikola, style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI-I-" She stumbled on her words, wishing she could say those three little words, but fear held her style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanNikola looked over his shoulder at her, "I know," he said softly, then style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"…/p
p class="MsoNormal"Nikola peered through the eyepiece of the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe cells were less numerous than they should be and there were mutations, doubled tails or heads, crooked and swimming style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThis was the third sample he had taken, hoping against hope that somehow the first two were style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe was coming to the conclusion that his rudimentary knowledge of microbiology wasn't going to be enough to make a definitive style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe would need to have Helen look at it to receive a prognosis./p
p class="MsoNormal"…/p
p class="MsoNormal"Helen was blunt as style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"You're infertile."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanNikola clenched his style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"What about assisted reproduction?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWould that make it possible?"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe brunette shook her head with a style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"I'm surprised you're even investigating style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanYou've never expressed any desire for children before."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe persisted, "Are you sure it's impossible?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanCan you tell me the probability of success?"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHelen sighed and pinched the bridge of her style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"With deformed morphology this severe, it's less than 5%.span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI can tell you that style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAnd with such a low count, I'm not seeing any normal appearing sperm that have good style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWho would you even reproduce with?"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"Nikola was silent for a long moment, then said simply, "I was hoping you would-"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHelen shook her head interjecting, "What on earth?!span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThat's a big assumption."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanNikola actually style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"I thought...I mean, can you still...?"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe waved the question away annoyed, "Yes, but I...I can't go through that style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAnd, well, we're not even lovers right now, much less-"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanNikola cut her off quickly, "I would marry style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI want style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanYou're my family style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanPlease, please marry me."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHelen was flabbergasted at her friend's open style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"You've lost your style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI don't want to get style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanYou're so far off the mark-"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe advanced on her and grabbed her by the shoulders talking over her, "No, don't, please, just think about it!"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe brought her hands up abruptly, broke his grip and shoved him style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Stop it!span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI don't want to marry you and I certainly don't want to have children with you!"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"An unexpected crashing sound caused them to freeze and look over to find Will standing in the doorway, the clipboard he had been carrying lying in a mess at his style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Shit!span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI'm sorry, let me get this and I'll go."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe fumbled around awkwardly gathering the paperwork, until Magnus took pity on style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Just leave it style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI'll get style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanGo on."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe glanced up, his wide blue eyes darting nervously between his boss and Tesla who had turned his back on the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"Uh, okay..."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe hesitated then asked, "Are you sure you'll be alright?"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanTesla rounded on him and screamed "Get out you nosy bastard!"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHelen simply shut the door in her protégé's face./p
p class="MsoNormal"…/p
p class="MsoNormal""I won't have you drink yourself to death under my style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIf you want to spend every waking moment blitzed, you'll have to do it somewhere else!"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanNikola didn't even bother to yell back at her, he just slumped on the couch and looked blearily up at the woman he style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanFilling his eyes with the sight of her, even when she was angry with him, was the only thing that was keeping him going at style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe'd given up on her changing her mind about style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe didn't want to commit to style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanMaybe she couldn't forgive all the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanMaybe he just couldn't be style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe supposed that was style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanEven when he put it all on the line, she rejected him, so what was the point in trying anymore?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe only person he'd ever trusted, and here she was, kicking him out of her style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe nodded and got unsteadily to his feet./p
p class="MsoNormal""You'll stop right?span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanPlease, just stop."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanNikola sighed, "Yeah, I'll style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThe novelty was wearing off anyway."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHis expression was like a locked gate as he told her, "I'm leaving style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanJust have to figure out where I'll go, what I want to do with the rest of my existence."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHelen reached out toward him but pulled back when he shook his head and leaned away from style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanShe tried reaching out with her words style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span"I wish you wouldn't style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWe can work it out...Remember how it used to be in ninety-eight, the opening of the Secession building, how happy we were?"span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe seemed to steel himself and replied, "Memories of Vienna were enough for me style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanIt's not style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanI want more than that."span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanWith that he left./p
p class="MsoNormal"…/p