This is written to Good Charlotte's song, Last Night (because almost everything I write comes from a song). I was on a bus and the song came on and this is what happened. I did think about posting this in several chapters but I'd written it all so I couldn't see the point, though I'm tempted to write Helen's side of the evening.

Oh, I don't own anything... y'all know that :)

And yeah, review please and thank you!

Nikola sat in the corner, perfectly happy to play his part as the strange foreign boy. He knew he'd only been invited to this party out of pity but for the life of him couldn't remember why he'd accepted. A few brave souls had approached him over the course of the evening, trying to start up a conversation but he always managed to offend them. Not that it was hard when they were all so painfully dim-witted but he knew he probably shouldn't take so much pleasure in cutting them down so mercilessly. It didn't take long for word to spread that the Serbian in the corner had had too much to drink, causing him to develop a harsh tongue. He knew he should be upset at the fact people would whisper it only feet away from him but frankly, being alone was fine by him.

So, instead of mingling with the people who tried to call themselves his peers, Nikola sat, drinking wine, coming up with nicknames for the men who seemed to think themselves so superior. The man with the black hair brushed back and an impressive beard growing on his already pointed chin was the badger, so keen and conniving were his eyes as they surveyed the room, drinking it all in. But the man was proud too, standing tall with his hands clasped firmly behind his back, chest thrust forward as he smiled and laughed loudly, the deep, rich sound booming around the small room, a genuine sound that made Nikola like the man. Well, hate him a little less, this proud badger.

The man with the curtains of brown hair was a hawk, or maybe a vulture with that long nose of his. No, definitely a vulture, he had a deep scar across one cheek showing his tenacity and fighting nature. He was tall too, shoulders hunched slightly as if he was aware he was the tallest in the room and he wished to blend in. This man had quick eyes too but they were different, more like he was keeping watch, always with an eye on his own back. He looked too fake for Nikola's liking as he smiled smoothly at his companion, the smile not touching his eyes. There was a kindness in his eyes, certainly, but it seemed reserved for the man he was talking to, like it was something he could only give to a close friend. He was… he was… Nikola searched for the word in English. Despite being nearly word perfect, descriptions sometimes got away from him. His brow furrowed as he thought of the word in Serbian, ljigav. It was perfect but try as he might, the translation escaped him. This man was ljigav.

His companion on the other hand was round, much smaller but round. He was a rabbit, nervous looking, yes but also gentle, like he would only run away if you chased him. He seemed… friendly, Nikola decided. But also sneaky, a tricky rabbit perhaps. Just then, the man smiled and Nikola sat back in his chair, very secure in his assessment of the man, his grin, soft but still devious proved it.

Nikola's eyes flitted to another man, the party being almost devoid of women and promptly decided this man was a cat, sweet and kind until you decided to play with another at which point he would spit and curse. He sighed, becoming bored with his game. His eyes drifted through the room as he sipped his wine, dreadful stuff, cheap and nasty, designed to bring on a headache. He continued naming the people in the room after animals while part of his mind tried to calculate how much longer he must sit here, listening to these imbeciles drone on and on about their great discoveries that Nikola knew were nothing more than a child finding a daisy for the first time. He glanced down at his pocket watch, a gift from his father, possibly the only one he ever got, before deciding to give them one more hour, after all, it was Christmas, a time for generosity.

Just as thought about revising his plan for staying, the door directly across the room from Nikola opened, sending a chilly blast through the room. Internally he cursed at whoever had entered, clearly very late to the party.

"Sorry, old chap," the intruder said to the host, the badger man, "We got caught up in the storm but Helen insisted we come, refusing to turn back."

Nikola knew the badger man respond kindly but heard not a word of what he was saying. His eyes were glued to the young woman who had also come in. She was… was… Nikola knew the word he was searching for beautiful but it wasn't enough. She had large, inquisitive eyes, the most captivating shade of blue that Nikola had to wonder if they were a perfect replica of the summer sky. She was looking around the room, eyes bright with excitement, like she had been waiting for this very moment for a long time. She had wonderfully long eyelashes, something he had never before noticed on a woman. They were a shade or two darker than her hair and framed her jewel like eyes magnificently.

Her hair was blonde, shimmering curls pulled up on her head. Nikola noticed there were a few flakes of snow still sticking to her hair, melting quickly in the warm room. Her cheeks were flushed, whether from the cold or excitement, Nikola didn't know but for the first time in his life he found himself caring. She was smiling softly, her lush, pink lips pulling up delicately at the corners, showing her sparkling white teeth.

All of a sudden her attention was claimed by the man she was with. Her father, Nikola decided as he took in the age difference. She was maybe a few years older than himself but this man was going grey and used a walking stick. Something about this made Nikola happy, knowing she wasn't with this man but simply being escorted by him. She laughed lightly at something the badger man said before he leaned in and kissed her hand, encased in white cotton Nikola knew would be soft but all this was secondary once he heard her laugh. It was light, fresh and airy, nothing tittering about like most women he knew. Her laughter was a delightful gurgle and her eyes danced merrily.

Something about the way she held herself told Nikola she was intelligent, her back was straight, head held high so she could take in the world around her. Her eyes, again those blue eyes were soaking up the party, hardly stopping for a second as they danced away from her host to the rest of the party. A soft blush crept up her cheeks and Nikola had the strongest urge to dash over to her and ask why. Quickly, he realised his question was unnecessary. She was embarrassed, every man in the damn place was staring at her, mostly fixated on her rather generous bosom, securely strapped under her pale blue dress but evident none the less.

Nikola felt the most peculiar surge of emotion, as if he should rush over and shield her from their leers, particularly from the vulture man who was openly staring at her, assessing her as if she was nothing more than a pretty piece of jewellery. Nikola was about to stand up, completely unconscious of the action but suddenly found himself pinned to the chair. She was looking at him.

Her blue eyes were piercing, staring into him, that smile still dancing on her lips. She paused for a fraction, inclining her head and Nikola realised he was the only man who received this treatment. He smiled back softly before he realised he was also the only man who was still staring at her, everyone else had gone back to their conversations, keeping one, very subtle eye on her. Nikola knew he should be ashamed but he couldn't find it in him to be afraid of this beautiful creature and her analytical eyes.

After what felt like the longest moment of his life, she looked away and Nikola found he could breathe again, something he hadn't realised had stopped. He watched her as she scanned the room a few more times, each time her gaze landed on him for just a fraction longer. Again her attention was captured by her father and, reluctantly, Nikola hoped, she dragged her eyes back to the man being presented to her.

The rabbit, he noted. He didn't feel threatened by this man, despite his obvious interest in the girl. No, he corrected himself, woman, she was all woman. Her beautiful eyes flickered over the man, smiling easily at him, dipping into a polite curtsey as he kissed her hand, holding on just a bit longer than society would deem appropriate. The chatted briefly before her father and the host led her on the next introduction. She made the rounds, smiling prettily as she met each person in the room. Her eyes brimmed with delight at some, politely guarded at others and it didn't escape Nikola that not once did she greet any of the women with any real enthusiasm. A woman who didn't prefer the company of other women, he mused, was someone he could really sink his teeth into.

With a jolt he sat up. Where the hell did that come from? He'd had the occasional lusty thought but nothing as downright lusty as that. Though, he realised, it was the first openly carnal thought he'd had about her.

But was it? Was it a carnal thought? She was intelligent, maybe he wanted to delve into her mind, enjoy the company of a thoroughly untraditional woman. No, he thought with a shudder, still watching her, it wasn't just that. She was… making him lose his words, among other things… magnetic. Ha! That was it, she was magnetic, drawing him in like a moth to a flame. His… craving, was that the right word? His craving for her was deep, carnal yes but he wanted her thoughts too, he wanted to hear them, not just be in them.

His train of thought was derailed however, when she was introduced to the vulture. She smiled brightly at him, a smile he hadn't seen yet and a blush came to her cheeks when he spoke to her. He was still holding her hand and she seemed very much obliged to let him continue in such a fashion. Nikola had to bite back a curse, settling for silent fuming. He knew people were watching him and his attentions to this woman but he couldn't, as per usual, find it in himself to care.

She had stood with this man for minutes now, talking, laughing, eyes dancing as he smiled down with that cunning kindness Nikola had seen earlier. He took solace in the fact that her father seemed as upset with the coupling as he did, his face dark as he watched his daughter titter like a school girl at this strangers compliments.

Finally, Nikola found something about the woman he disliked. She was easily swayed by a pretty face and lavish compliments which seemed to reduce her to no more than a giggling, eye-lash batting woman. The second he thought it, Nikola wanted to take it back, erase the thought from his mind, dispose of all evidence that he'd ever thought ill of this intelligent and captivating creature. He felt swirling guilt pull at his gut and grabbed at his wine glass to quell it.

Taking a deep swig, he closed his eyes, wanting relief from the torture of watching her flirt with that man. Sadly, it wasn't so easy. Her face was etched into his mind, splayed on the back of his eye lids. Everything from her ruffled, blonde curls, lilting eyebrows, pert nose, expressive lips and finally, finally those eyes that made his heart thrum. With a smile he realised he barely understood the words he'd just used, having heard them and learnt them but never before used them. He looked back over at where she had been just a minute ago and his heart clenched when he realised she was no longer there.

He sat up a little straighter, flicking his eyes over the party as her searched for her eyes. He turned around just in time to see her walking straight towards him, escorted by her father and their host but still… towards him.

Acting more out of instinct than anything else, he stood up, plastering a smile on his face. He knew his palms were sweaty and his breathing strained but he forced himself to stand there silently.

"Mr. Gregory Magnus, may I present to you, Mr. Nikola Tesla," the badger man said, his voice confident but there was an edge, as if he was worried something might go wrong.

"Mr. Magnus," Nikola said stoically, nodding his head in the other man's direction.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Tesla. May I introduce my daughter, Miss Helen Magnus," the elderly man said, his clear eyes, a less startling shade of blue than his daughter, guarded as if he perceived Nikola as a threat.

"Miss Magnus," Nikola choked out, accepting her hand. He raised it carefully to his lips, never breaking eye contact with her as he brushed his lips over her knuckles gently. As he did so, he was pleased to watch her breathing hitch, her smile faltering for a second, exposing something else entirely.

"It's lovely to meet you, Mr. Tesla," she said quietly, a cautious smile appearing on her lips. Taking it as encouragement, Nikola smiled softly at her, dropping her hand gently, pleased when she didn't quite let go as quickly as he did.

They chattered for some minutes, her father, Helen's father, questioning him about some of the works he had been doing but Nikola knew he'd never remember the things they spoke about that evening, only that her eyes lit up like his experiments as he spoke, trying his hardest to discard his thick and brutish accent. She asked inquisitive questions, her head cocked elegantly to the side as she did so. Her eyes shone as he answered before she countered with an even greater question.

Nikola was elated, not only had he (mostly) overcome his trademark shyness, but she was interested in him, in his mind and the things he could do. As far as he was concerned, this was all he could ever ask for and so much more from this beautiful creature. And he was right, she was intelligent, painfully so and he felt himself getting angry as she explained that she was only at the university auditing courses.

"That's not right," he burst out, "You are clearly more intelligent than half the fools in this room. It makes no sense that they would reject you for being a woman," he finished angrily, a shade louder than he'd realised. Several people were staring at them and her father was looking at him, seemingly confused by his outburst. But none of that mattered when he looked into her eyes. She was smiling at him brilliantly, her eyes bright and her hands clasped in front of her.

"It's refreshing to hear a man think that way," she said, her voice soft, clearly his defence of her right to education had touched her and he melted, a peculiar sensation he'd never experience before. He felt an overwhelming urge to lean forwards and capture her smiling lips in a kiss.

There was a beat of silence in which he seriously considered doing so but was interrupted by their host brightly declaring he'd never heard such a two sided conversation in his life. Her father then smiled politely at him before saying something about how pleased he was to make his acquaintance. Nikola nodded at him, never taking his eyes off Helen.

Her father grabbed her arm and began steering her away but not before she could smile one last time at him.

"Mr. Tesla," she said sweetly, nodding her head as she was whisked away.

Nikola sank down into his chair, feeling dizzy. His mind flew through every glance she had given him, every time she had laughed, every time she smiled. He had to take several deep, fortifying gulps of wine, hardly tasting the stuff as he emptied the glass. His mind whizzed, working in Serbian, unable to make the switch.

He sat for several minutes, keeping an eye on her progress around the room, watching as she lit up or shut down, depending on who she was talking to. Eventually his breathing returned to normal and his eyes started to watch her out of habit more than conscious decision. She moved with grace, seeming to float as she walked. Her hand, which he remembered being small in his gestured as she spoke, emphasising her point. Once, while she was deep in conversation with the man Nikola had dubbed the cat, she turned her head and looked over at him quizzically and her companion did the same. Realizing that he was watching, she quickly turned away but Nikola was left with the queerest sensation that she was talking about him.

He let the moment pass, part of his mind processing that fact while the rest was absorbed with her. Her name. Helen. It fitted perfectly he decided. It was strong, like Helen of Troy. She was beautiful, smart and Nikola knew he'd steal her if he could. Hmm, he mused, maybe less Helen of Troy, more… well… more intelligent. She was brilliant, a star in the dark sky that was this lifeless party. Her name was also soft, beckoning him to whisper it in her ear. It rolled off his tongue beautifully, warming his heart.

Nikola spent the next few minutes, contemplating all the ways he could say her name, hardly paying attention and for the first time since she had arrived, he did not watch her. It was for this reason he was shocked, well and truly shaken when he realised she was standing in front of him, that same quizzical look in her eyes, as if she was a puzzle to unlock.

"Helen," he said, shooting upwards. She seemed somewhat taken aback by his use of her first name but smiled.

"I… I mean, Miss Magnus," he corrected himself, bowing slightly in such an awkward fashion that she let out a little laugh.

"Please, call me Helen," she said, clearly not one for convention.

Nikola smiled, relieved and gestured for her to take a seat next to him which she accepted with a smile. He stood there for a moment once she had sat, staring at her as she smiled up at him, that warm, welcoming and intelligent smile.

Clearing his throat, he sat down. There was an uncomfortable silence between them before they both started to talk at once.

Helen looked away (he felt a surge of pleasure that he should call her that) with a nervous laugh. It wasn't the same kind of titter she had given the vulture but it had the same excitement behind it.

"Go ahead," he said encouragingly, hoping his nerves were contained well enough.

She bit her lip, an endearingly feminine gesture that Nikola had not expected. "I was wondering," she said, her earlier confidence slipping, "why you were watching me so intently?" she blurted, clearly uncomfortable at being so blunt.

Nikola let out a startled cough and looked away at the dwindling crowd in the room. He could see Helen's father and their host holed up in a corner, pouring over an old book. Swallowing he turned back to her, just in time to see her stand up.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked that," she said, flustered as he stood up too.

"No, no, it is O.K," he said quickly, placing a hand on her arm before he realised he'd done it. They both looked down at his hand and within a second he'd pulled it away, trying to ignore the heat pulsing through his hand.

Without another word she sat down and he followed suit. They were silent for a moment before Nikola turned to look at her.

"You have the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen, that is why I was watching you," he said carefully, expecting his honesty to disgust her. She simply blushed and turned away.

"Thank you," she said quietly, her voice testing the waters.

After another beat of silence, they fell into an easy conversation, discussing everything, from lectures to her father. She told him she had applied to be admitted to the university three times but had been rejected so her father was teaching her while she audited courses and he suddenly got angry, his fists clenching and she laughed, startling him. He told her about his experiments, about how very close he was to his great breakthrough. She asked to see his work, again startling him and there was such wonder in his voice as he agreed that she laughed again.

It was then Nikola decided to do everything he could to hear that laugh, he made it his mission to make her laugh, every single day. He jumped internally, realising that he'd just vowed to spend every day with her without having known her for more than 2 hours. Then she made some silly joke and he lost his train of thought, laughing along with her. They spent the next hour talking, on and on and on about everything, Helen proving herself to be a remarkable sparring partner.

"Mr. Tesla, you are incorrigible," she said lightly, her eyes dancing.

"Nikola, my name is Nikola, please," he said, turning serious for a moment. She looked at him with that same inquisitive gaze he'd first found so captivating before smiling at him.

"Nikola."

They smiled at each other for a moment and Nikola opened his mouth, about to ask the impossible but stopped promptly when he heard someone clear their throat. He looked up into the formidable eyes of Gregory Magnus and decided that this was his chance, to stand up as a man and toss his hat in the ring so to speak. Unfortunately, Gregory was too quick.

"I'm sorry my dear," he said addressing Helen, "but we have to leave now, before the storm really picks up."

Helen's face fell as she looked between Nikola and her father but she stood. Instinctively, Nikola stood too.

"I had a wonderful time, Nikola," she said and he relished the intimacy of hearing her call him by his first name.

"As did I, He- Miss Magnus," he corrected himself at the look in her father's eye. Helen rolled her eyes at her father's expression.

"Helen," she insisted.

"Helen," he said, taking her hand in his, gently kissing it, his lips for more firm against her fingers than they had been earlier. He could have swore he heard her gasp. "Until next time," he said with a flourish.

Her father grunted something before firmly placing his hand on Helen's and leading her away. Nikola remained standing and watched them go. The moment they left the room, Nikola slowly began walking over to the door, saying a curt farewell to his few acquaintances, stopping to make an effort to be civil with the man who had invited him, knowing he must be if he was to be invited to any parties at which his fair Helen might appear.

After a few minutes of polite conversation during which he threw in as many compliments as possible, Nikola left, grabbing his coat and hat as he stepped out into the brisk night air. Quickly he started walking towards his dormitory but all of a sudden he felt and urge to dance, yet another thing he'd never experienced until tonight.

He knew, he just knew he'd never forget her, never let himself lose her. He couldn't remember anything about the evening except her. His head was spinning, elated that he'd accepted the invite to the party, it might be a tad premature but he hypothesised that tonight was the best night of his life. He had never believed in fate but Nikola felt his resolve shake, he knew that this couldn't be a one of thing, he needed to see her again and he was confident he would. As his steps took on a lighter quality, he heard the bells chime. Midnight, Christmas day.

"Merry Christmas, Helen," he whispered, looking up into the sky at the stars that were unable to twinkle with the ferocity of her eyes.

With a whoop of delight and a quick spin in the snow, Nikola ran back to his dormitory, and that night he fell asleep with a smile still on his face.

And if anyone can guess who my animal men are, you will win my eternal love :P I like to think it was rather obvious...