"I apologize for my late arrival, gentlemen--"

Helen Magnus trailed off. Upon her arrival at Nikola's house, the butler had led her to a different part of the house, somewhere far closer to the entrance. Helen had been expecting a small room but she found herself in possibly the grandest room she had been in--in a private residence. Standing in the entrance Helen had a feeling that this was a place more often used for balls than the activity for what it was currently being used. But even so she could appreciate the grace of the movement, the skill that was employed. And after the events of three days ago, Helen was sure she did not want to set foot in a ballroom for at least another month.

"Helen! There you are," James walked over to her, "I'm afraid Nikola and John are in one of their moods," he sighed looking over at the two men.

"Did they say what about?" she asked.

"Oh no, when they get in those moods, the only talking is insulting," Nigel said. Helen gasped and turned towards him.

"Where did you come from?!" Helen demanded.

"Nigel does that. You'd think he was invisible," James said with an amused smile.

"Yeah, sorry about that," Nigel said rocking back on his heels, "habit, I'm afraid. So right now, they're tied. But we all know John's gonna win."

"Oh you do?" Helen looked at the two men dueling, "Nikola seems very skilled."

"And so he is. I think Nikola's been fencing as long as he's been walking," James supplied

"Then what makes you think John will win?"

"Because Nikola hasn't ever fought for anything."

"Well nothing except pride," Nigel said, "and, Helen, if there is one piece of advice I can give you, it is that you should never fight for pride. It clouds your mind, it destroys your focus. If your goal is not worthy of the fight, its pointless to even try, You will fail."

Helen nodded, still watching. Both men were wearing padded vests and pants, their faces hidden behind masks. They dueled with foils, their legs positioned in lunges. The foils were little more than blurs as they clashed and moved away, only to clash once more. She was instantly able to tell who was who by virtue of their height difference. Nikola was pure skill and fineness, his hand extended high behind him. If one looked in a textbook they would find the picture of Nikola in how to fight.

But John, John was a warrior through and through. His hand was a little low, his wrist not positioned as precisely as it should be. And yet his blade met each of Nikola's, refusing to give the other man any kind of opening. Helen knew he was searching for an opening himself but refusing to give Nikola any sort of time to fid one of his own. His movements were more fluid, just as graceful as every other time she had see him in motion. With a sudden burst of speed Helen would have thought impossible had she not witnessed it with her own eyes, John's sword slipped under Nikola's and pressed to Nikola's chest.

"Well done gentlemen," Nigel said clapping, "and look, Miss Magnus has arrived."

Both men stopped and looked over at where Helen was standing. Helen quickly looked ahead, not meeting either of their eyes. She wished she could not feel pink staining her cheeks. She had not seen nor spoken to John Druitt since the ball where they had kissed--twice. And where she had slapped him. Classes had been let out and even if they had not, she would have found a way to avoid him. But there was no chance for anything of the sort. She still did not know entirely why she had come to this meeting when she could have just as easily run.

Well, she did know.

She missed him.

She missed them all so she had gathered her dignity and she had come to Nikola's house where they usually met. And she had not thought it was a horrible idea until the moment John's fingers went under the edge of his mask and he pulled it off. Then she thought it was a truly terrible idea. Especially when she saw the look in his eyes. He did not look uncertain or terrified or any of the emotions she had struggled with for the past few days. He looked completely calm, completely in control. His eyes were level and they met hers with no fear, no hesitance, nothing as if her presence meant nothing to him. In the folds of her skirts, Helen balled her fists and hardened her features. She was not going to look like a fool--again--in front of John Druitt.

"Ah, the great Helen Magnus has decided once more to join us," Helen looked over at Nikola, "I was beginning to think you had gone all womanly on us."

"I am a woman, Nikola," Helen said, secretly grateful for the distraction.

"A fact that has escaped none of us," he said throwing his own mask to the side, "but if you had started to act like the majority of your sex," he shrugged as he walked across the room, "I would have been disappointed."

"That would make two of us," Helen said, feeling her temper rise to the occasion as she turned to keep Nikola in her line of sight. He walked over to the bar and poured water into a cup from a pitcher, taking a drink before setting it down and walking back over to where John was standing, "are you two going to fight the entire time we are here?" she asked.

"I was unaware there was a time limit on our interactions," Nikola said, "going somewhere Helen?"

"Home, eventually," she shot back.

"Yours or his?" he asked pulling on his mask.

"Or whose?" Helen questioned.

"I'm disappointed," Nikola said, "You're acting overly feminine again, Helen," he added pulling on his mask.

Helen's eyes narrowed at the insult. She looked around the room before her eyes found what they were looking for. Turning she strode towards the rack of blades. Her eyes found the weapon she wanted and she drew it, testing the weight and balance. Finding it agreeable she grabbed a mask and walked over to where the two of them were standing. Both men had stopped, watching her as she walked back to where the two of them were. She turned to Nikola.

"Overly feminine am I?" she asked pulling the mask on, "shall I change your mind with this or would you prefer my fist?"

"You cannot be serious," Nikola said.

"Care to find out?"

"Why not?" he said, "but lets make this a bit more fair, shall we?"

Helen did not know what he meant until his shirt was off. Her eyes widened as she looked at his torso. She was expecting the musculature and all the other parts of the male anatomy. What she was not expecting were the burns. The blackened, scarred skin stretched across the right side of his ribcage and all down his left arm, stopping just below his elbow. Burns that did not look as though they had not necessarily been created by fire. Her eyes traced the contours of the burns, her mind quickly going over what she knew from her father. Every ounce of medical training she had told her that the man standing in front of her should have been dead. His lips curved into a smile, as if he knew she was surveying him.

"Don't look too hard Helen, I fear you'll make the old boy jealous."

Embarrassed, Helen turned her eyes away from him. Helen shifted her stance, bringing her sword up. Nikola grinned before pulling on his mask and holding his own weapon in his grip. They two squared off against each other, pausing only for a moment. Helen lunged forward, her sword meeting Nikola's blow. Instantly she moved away as he struck. She parried his blow, forcing his blade away. Helen was sure to keep her movements compact but before she could go in she felt the press of Nikola's sword against her chest. She looked down, her eyes wide at the skill that had beaten her so easily.

"What'd we tell her about fighting for pride?" Nigel asked looking over at James, "its the hot headed ones, they never learn."

"Well you did last longer than I was expecting," Nikola said, the smugness in his voice making her cheeks burn, "though not as long as I had hoped. Perhaps you need some private lessons?"

"If she is hoping to beat you, Nikola, then she should learn from someone whose done it, don't you agree?" James called over.

Helen tightened her hand on the sword, immediately knowing who they were talking about. Sure enough, John was standing nearby and suddenly the embarrassment she felt tripled. There was no malice in John's eyes, nothing but the barest tinge of humor. Still he moved forward with the grace she had come to expect from him. He stopped close enough that she could feel the warmth that came off his body, no sign of embarrassment from what happened when she had grabbed and kissed him. Suddenly it occurred to Helen that John Druitt, being the attractive man he was, was probably kissed by girls all the time. Her grabbing him and pressing their mouths together, it probably meant nothing to him.

"Any way I can be of service," he said.

Helen's eyes slammed into the ground and, for the rest of the meeting, she found it quite impossible to look John Druitt in the eye.

John Druitt, being a man not prone to flights of fancy, was more than aware of the fact that Helen Magnus suddenly seemed unable to look him in the eye. Honestly he had not expected her to show up at their meeting. When she had his heart had soared, soared until he had seen the look in her eyes. She seemed torn between wishing the ground would open her up and swallow her whole and wishing that he was a million miles away. While John thought the first of the options would be the worst, he could not say he was inclined to wish for either. He did know exactly why Helen was looking so upset, though he could not say he shared the sentiment. After all, he had found their actions at the ball, if anything, quite pleasant.

Though John did think it was a new experience to have a woman kiss him first.

But now as he watched Helen slip on her coat, he realized he was going to have to catch her. What a strange woman she was, one moment challenging Nikola to duels and the next running like a scared rabbit. Just when he thought he knew her, she did something completely different. For all his love of the female gender, John Druitt truly had no idea what to make of Helen Magnus. Still he knew that he was going to have do something. Fortunately it was pleasant enough outside that he imagined she would be walking home. He grabbed his coat before anyone could help him into it and shrugged it on. Unfortunately he realized Helen had already left.

"She went right," Nigel said. John paused and turned to look at him, knowing that her house was left, "she said something about going through Piccadilly because it was so nice out but personally I think you've got the girl out of sorts."

"Thank you Nigel," he said.

"She's got you out of sorts too you know!" Nigel called after him.

John hurried out of the house, pleased to see Helen still within sight distance. John walked after her, not fast enough that she would immediately know he was following her but quickly enough so that he would not loose her entirely. They walked the entire way to Piccadilly in that manner, Helen leading and him following at a safe distance. Just when John was beginning to think that she had not noticed she was being followed, he realized that she was most likely ignoring him. A smile came to his lips at the thought and he walked forward, closing the distance between them with speed. Helen continued to ignore him even when it was impossible to do so with any sort of convincingness.

"You know," John said falling into step beside her, "it is rather rude to ignore someone."

"And following people is not?" Helen asked, still looking ahead.

"is there a reason you seem so determined not to look at me?" John inquired. Helen felt her cheeks burn, "if I did not know better I would say you were ashamed at what happened the other night."

"A proper woman--" Helen began.

"A proper woman?" John laughed and Helen felt her embarrassment increase, "Helen I doubt you will ever be anything of the sort."

"You think I do not know that?" Helen demanded turning on him finally, "it is all good and fine to crusade for what one believes in but if there is a single place where I may be considered a 'proper woman' than I must at the very least try to uphold it."

"And kissing a man in public is that place?" John questioned.

"It was," Helen snapped.

"My memory must be deserting me then," John said, "because I could have sworn that you were the one to kiss me."

"You are perfectly aware that I did that for another purpose--a fact I deeply regret!" she told him.

"Regret the circumstance or the action it drove you to take?" he asked looking at her and feeling the stirrings of his temper.

"Both," she said turning around to walk away.

"You know courting you is going to be anything but easy," John said. Helen stopped, "not that I would expect anything less from the Great Helen Magnus."

Though her back was turned to him, Helen felt her eyes widen. Court her? But there was far more than a chance that John Druitt could have half the girls in London. Yet he was speaking of courting her. If he was teasing her--and surely he must be--then Helen thought he was much crueler than she would have ever dreamed. Still, her father had taught her that even when one had nothing they could still have their dignity. So, summoning whatever shreds of it remained, Helen turned around and looked at him.

"Well then, I suppose you had better move on to the next girl," she said picking up her skirts and turning away.

"The next girl--" John shook his head, "oh Helen, what you must think of me," he walked forward, "i don't think I shall ever find a girl as intriguing as you."

"Intrigue wears off," she said.

"Well beyond that I'm sure there a hundred other things about you that I shall find completely enthralling," he said.

"And if I were to grow bored of you?" she asked, her eyes narrowing as she indulged him, if only for the moment.

"Well I would expect you to throw me to the curb," he said, "but I doubt that is likely. I have managed to keep Nikola entertained for five or so years," he said, "and he is a man easily bored."

"Five years is not a terribly long time," she said.

"Yes but by then I full intend to have proven my worth to you so that if you do not love me you will at least keep me around for my value."

"Which would be?"

"Well," John said, "when you sprain your ankle, my strength will be enough to help you home. Or when you are accosted by far less worthy men, my fists can 'ask' them to step away."

Helen smiled faintly at that. She was not sure what to make of this development. But he had not responded to her pushing him away, as if he had seen past the fear that drove her to do so. She did not know if she truly liked the idea of a man being able to se her so clearly. But if she was to spend time with a man who could see the truth so easily where she was concerned, she could not say that she was unhappy it was him. Still, she was not entirely sure that she liked the idea. Helen looked at him carefully, choosing her words before she spoke.

"Alright, Mr. Druitt," she said, "you may court me," he smiled but she continued, "after you teach me to beat Nikola Tesla."

"I would gladly teach you regardless," he said.

"Yes, I am aware," she said, "but this way, should you be successful, then it will be your lips that drive the 'less worthy' men to step away, rather than your fists," she smiled at the shocked look on his face, "good day, Mr. Druitt."

John watched Helen walk into the crowd of Piccadilly, more certain than ever that he would never find a woman quite like Helen Magnus. So all he had to do was teach her to beat Nikola Tesla and she would let him try to win her over. He was confident in his abilities, both at fighting and at wooing, but he knew that if he had a chance of succeeding he had to do it this way. Besides, he could think of things worth less of his time than teaching someone to wipe that arrogant smirk off Nikola Tesla's face. He stood there until she had disappeared completely from his sight.

No, John Druitt thought, he would never find another woman like Helen Magnus.

But, then again, why would he want to?

And we've updated!

So I'm desperately wanting John to come back to Sanctuary but so far, no luck. So, yeah, lets live vicariously though the early days of their relationship. I wanted Helen to make it difficult for John, I'm guessing she'd be a bit embarassed by what happened.

Well, don't worry, eventually we'll get back to now. But for right now I wanna stay in the past.

Please PLEASE REVIEW!

Pretty please? I promise I'll update sooner if you review!