This chapter and the finale of this story is dedicated to Anita. Today is her birthday (I'm getting in just under the wire). So please (if you know her) wish her a happy b-day.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANITA!

Nikola wheeled his own patient into the infirmary isolation room. He set the bed next to the one that was already occupied with the buxom blonde. Locking the wheels, he set about making the proper adjustments to have everything set up before he asked Helen to come down. Making the final turns of nobs he turned to the door but stopped when he noticed the slight rise and fall of the woman's chest. Stepping to the other side of her to avoid his instrument he ran fingers over her arm where the IV was set it place.

She looked so familiar, like a ghost from his past. Running fingertips up her arm and to her cheeks he pressed them softly into her skin watching as the pink rushed back into her flesh. "I hear your name is Emma, but that's not what I'll call you." He whispered to her, making sure no one was in the room to hear him. Helen was probably watching him on the camera anyway. "Crazy bitch sounds more like you." Flicking his pointer finger over his thumb to hit her nose roughly he grimaced. "Why do you look so damn familiar though?" Humming he gave up and stalked over to his equipment double checking the readings before going to Helen.

Walking into her study, Nikola clucked his tongue and smiled. Helen was a sight to be seen, her hair pulled over her shoulder and her eyes scanning the pages of an old book. He wished she would look at him like that. Sliding onto the sofa next to her he plucked the book from her finger tips and grinned. "I fixed your machine for your pretty little girl."

"Excellent." She smiled after glaring for a moment. "Is it all set up then?"

"Yes, but I do have a question for you." He took her glass of white wine and drank the rest of it with a satisfied smirk before leaning against the yellow cushion.

Helen set the book on the small table in from of them and rested in a mirrored position to him. "I have a feeling I know what the question will be and that you should know the answer already."

"Who is she?" He completely ignored her statement and moved right on ahead.

"She is a patient."

"And what else?" Glittering eyes were turned on her and he was dancing the dance she started.

Drawing air deep into her lungs, Helen worked on how to answer his question. "She is more than just a patient."

"How much more? Come on… you can say it Helen, we're old friends." He moved his hands out in front of his body, his teeth showing with his grin. "Who was it that you ran to tell when John first asked to court you? Am I no different then than I am now?"

"You are vastly different, Nikola. Just let me count the ways." Rolling her eyes, Helen set her head against the back of the couch and grinned. "You seem to know the answer."

"Yeah. But she seems so much more. Why all this secrecy behind her abnormality? I even went into your network to hack into Wolfgang's firewalls to get information—"

"So it was you!" She pointed a finger at him. "I had to redesign those three times this past week Nikola, that was very unkind of you."

"I needed answers." He called back in defense. "It wasn't as though you were going to give them to me. You've been avoiding me."

"I have not." Helen moved to stand and refill her glass that he finished. "I've been busy with other things." She took a long sip before turning back to him. "What is it you want to know about her so badly?"

"Who is she?"

"I told you, she is a patient and an employee."

"She's a lover."

Helen smirked and set her glass down as she sat next to him once again. "That as well." Her eyes were smiling. "Past and preferably future. We could be together for quite some time. Does that bother you?" She was teasing him and he knew it.

Sneering, Nikola shook his head. "Like I ever had you anyway. John ruined you for any other man, Helen, you know that." His head tilted and he stole her wine again. "Who is the crazy bitch in the infirmary who put fourteen holes in me with no warning?"

"She's your daughter."

There was a silence that took the room over. Helen was sure she would never hear such quietness when in the presence of the man again, that was if he ever spoke again. "Caroline." The word was whispered from his lips and he closed his eyes.

"Who?" Helen furrowed her brow.

"Her mother was Caroline."

"I'm surprised you even remember." In all the searches Helen had done she had been unable to come up with Emma's mother's name. However, the name did make sense. Caroline was the false identity that the woman created, well one of.

"It was a weekend to remember, trust me." He took a long gulp of wine. "So Emma is a vampire. And Emma is my daughter." Nikola nibbled on his lip and turned to Helen before suddenly standing and shoving away from her. "That crazy, stupid bitch tried to kill me!"

Helen didn't move as he took off out of the room. She knew where he was going, knew this would happen as he stalked up to her study from the infirmary where she had been watching him. Henry and the others had already set up roadblocks to keep him from Emma. Will had turned the machine on to Nikola's specifications that she gleaned from his notes and the laser was pointed direction at her left temple. There would be a burn, but that couldn't be helped.

Standing carefully, Helen made for her row of monitors and watched as Nikola was detained time and again as he tried to reach his child. Helen was convinced Emma was unplanned and a surprise. He had no idea of her birth until that day. Licking her lips she made for the couch as he walked angrily back to her study. He entered and glared at her.

"Care for a kind word?"

"A kind word? That's what you want after keeping this a secret from me?" Nikola shook his head and John entered the doorway behind him, eyes carefully keeping the vampire in his sights. "How could you—did you even—Why didn't you tell me sooner Helen?"

"It wasn't my place to say."

"Not your place? You live on secrets and manipulation, but this is one thing you should not have kept from me." He ran his hands together and made a noise in the back of his throat turning and noticing John for the first time. "How can you even keep it all straight? After all this time, Helen. You were my most trusted and now I find out about this?" Shaking his head once more he turned to John. "To the caves?"

The bald man nodded and gripped Nikola's arm teleporting them away.

Helen let out a breath she hadn't known she was holding. That had gone better and worse in some respects to how she thought it would go. Standing and brushing her hands down her skirt to smooth the non-existent wrinkles she walked with her head held high toward the infirmary. They unlocked everything except the room Emma was located in. Will had already taken the machine away, it having done its work. Helen was left with a sleeping woman with a burn on her temple and tension set in her shoulders.

Two days later Emma woke with a small moan and opened her eyes to see Helen peering over at her. She smiled and ran her hand across the woman's cheek. "Did he freak out?"

"Yeah a bit."

"So you had to tell him?"

"How could I not?"

Emma nodded and closed her eyes. Licking her lips she said, "Unhook me, I want to go upstairs." Helen looked as though she was about to object before she gave in. Emma was essentially healed of all ailments. The EM laser Nikola invented taking care of the nanites and her rapidly healing body doing the rest. Sliding the IV from her arm, Helen helped Emma to sit. Just as she was about to help Emma stand she stopped, the feel of soft fingers on her cheeks forcing her eyes up to Emma's face. "Is he mad?"

"Furious." Helen answered quietly.

Nodding and drawing in air, Emma relaxed her body leaning forward to press her lips against Helen's. "I don't want you to leave me tonight."

"Wasn't planning on it."

"You're going to have to leave tomorrow." At Helen's puzzled look, Emma continued. "To find Mihovil."

"Ah, yes. I'm afraid so."

Emma's head bobbed up and down again before she grasped Helen's cheeks and kissed her hard. Her tongue slipped between Helen's lips as the brunette leaned against the mattress, her fingers digging into the material to hold her body up. The noise came from one of them, but neither was sure which one.

Helen's hand fisted the fabric at Emma's waist until she heard it rip. Pulling back suddenly she smiled. Her voice was husky and deep. "We should probably head upstairs."

"Uh huh." Emma licked her lips before sliding off the bed and sashaying out of the room.

The elevator ride was the longest and shortest Emma had ever taken. Her body was pressed against the wall and hands glided all over her, feeling the heat of her skin through the thin material of her hospital gown. Helen was relentless and Emma could hardly tell her to stop. When the doors opened, Helen slipped away slowly only to tug on Emma's hand until they made it to her room. Shutting the door Helen finished tearing away the material covering Emma's body and stared at the clean lines of her curves.

Biting her lips Emma blushed furiously at the long stare Helen gave her. "You can look tomorrow too you know." She pulled on Helen's hand and made for the bed. Sliding onto his leaned against the pillows. "You better undress yourself, because I'm too tired to undress you myself." Her eyes were closed when she heard the sweet pull of a zipper. Minutes later the mattress dipped

"If you're too tired—"

"Helen." Magnus didn't answer. She licked her lips and slipped a finger over the raised nipple. "Just quick."

"Now that I can do." Helen smirked and her hand moved down until she felt heat. Rubbing her fingers in soft circles she felt the tremors start in Emma's body. "You weren't kidding." Emma bit her lip and shook her head, slate eyes staring widely back as her breathing hitched. Her body was turned on an angle and her hand flitted to Helen's cheek to pulling her into a deep embrace.

Emma's form tensed suddenly while her orgasm washed over her gently. Leaning back into the pillows she grinned and licked her lips. Helen moved forward and pecked her mouth gently. "I want you to sleep."

"You do realize that I've been sleeping for over a week right?" Even as she made the joke her eyes had dark circles and her chest rose with a yawn.

"Yes. I do understand this. But you are exhausted."

"Perhaps."

"I won't be here in the morning."

Emma covered her mouth with the back of her hand attempting and failing to stave off another yawn. "I know." She pulled the covers from around her body and slid under them. Helen moved to join her. "Will you let me come later?"

"Perhaps." Helen echoed Emma's previous statement and pulled the smaller body tight into her chest. "After you rest."

"Fine." Emma's face was buried in a pillow and she slipped into slumber.