notsocommon | for Nikola

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nikola

for Nikola

Helen had actually not been expecting any visitors and with Will out seeing patients and teaching classes, it was just she and Gregory tucked into the tidy penthouse for the time being. When she heard the bell ring, she imagined it was Will and buzzed him in without a thought, thinking that he must have forgotten something.

She opened the door, smile wide, only for it to fall a bit in confusion when she saw Nikola there. "Ah, Nikola. I wasn't expecting you." She shifted Gregory a bit and opened the door a bit wider to let him in.

"Do come in. Tea? I'm afraid I don't have any wine on hand."

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"No, clearly you didn't." Nikola said, not even attempting a tired leer. He was entirely too sober, entirely too maudlin to even begin hitting on Helen today. Instead he looked to his godchild and held out his arms, making a slight grabbing motion to indicate that he wanted to hold him. "Hello Gregory, come to your Uncle Nikola."

Nikola sighed, looking at Helen before rolling his eyes. "Fine, it's far too early to be drinking anyway. Although I'm far too sober for bed."

"You can hold him for a bit but I can imagine he'll want to eat soon," Helen said, gently handing Gregory over before tying her silk robe a little more firmly over her matching pajamas. It was late in the day to have not gotten dressed, true, but Helen was still taking her leave. It was allowed.

"Although I can imagine we'll be able to tell when he wants that. Yes, we will," she murmured, waving her fingers a bit in his direction as she sing-songed. "Oh yes we always know when Gregory needs his Mummy, mmhmm."

Nikola couldn't even will the energy together to smirk at the idea of Helen's breasts or even to linger over her in her rather beautiful pajamas. Instead Nikola gathered Gregory James up in his arms, Nikola sighed looking at Gregory intently before staring up at Helen.

"What was that ridiculous voice? Why on Earth are you talking like that? Are you trying to addle his mind? Come along Gregory James, let's go and sit and talk like sensible people." Nikola said, placing his finger in Gregory's hand before carrying him over to sit down. "I found a pub recently, quaint little place."

"Oh? I haven't had much of a chance to explore. I've been sleep deprived and tending after Gregory," Helen admitted. It was a pity, since New York offered so many more things than the island had. She made a note to get out a bit more before the month was done.

"Tell me about it?"

"It's called Doc Watson's," Nikola said, not adding anything further. Nikola... missed James. He missed his friend, he missed being able to argue with him and yell at him and generally ignore him. He missed everything that made James so irritatingly James. "Did you know even the island ghost people still refuse to serve you if they think you've had too much to drink? Well, they do. I miss him."

"Oh, darling," Helen said softly, drawing close to sit near him. She squeezed his shoulder lightly. "James missed you too, you know. When you faked your death? He'd occasionally get into his cups and wax poetic about you. I think absence must make the heart grow fonder."

Lower and softer, she added: "And I miss him too. Every day."

Nikola sighed, his smirk softer and tired than it had been in years. He felt old, it was this damn humanity getting to him. Wearing him down, at least when he was a vampire he didn't have to worry about anything. At least when he was alone he didn't have to worry about anyone.

"It must really have made him fond then for him to get like that then," Nikola said, cradling Gregory close. Really, the child had far too much Wilhelm in him for Nikola's liking but he was still striking. "Yes, well you would. He always liked you. I'm more of an acquired taste. Like a fine wine."

"You are, at that, and luckily I'm used to training my palate," Helen said, laughing a bit.

"Come now, you know we were all friends once. Even John could tolerate you at first. And look at us now...scattered to the winds and barely on speaking terms. I didn't want this for us, you know."

"I have to admit I'd forgotten that, the tolerating phase of our lives. It always seems we're meant to bicker even when I try to play nice with him." Nikola said tracing along Gregory's hairline. He was far too like William for Nikola's liking but he was still small, tiny and precious. Not that Nikola would admit that. "No, I know. But you did befriend men with bigger egos than Big Ben. Maybe it wasn't what you planned but maybe it was always in the cards for us. To unite for one project then go our separate ways."

"Perhaps so. I certainly didn't think my cards included this," Helen admitted, gesturing toward Gregory.

"But I wouldn't trade him or Will for anything. You know, Will's quite the help with the baby. It's such a change from when Ashley was small. Oh, James was perfectly content to hold her but when it came to diaper changing, he was suddenly quite busy with writing letters or running analyses."

"You do realise I'm not changing him, if James didn't then I'm certainly not." Nikola replied, making a face at the idea. "And of course Will is helpful, he is besotted. It's disgusting."

"It's darling," Helen said, warning lacing her tone.

"And I won't hear otherwise. Besides, you wouldn't have that darling child on your lap if it hadn't been for Will's contribution when we were making love so, you know. Be grateful for him."

"Oh Helen, please as if I want to know that about your charming husband." Nikola said making a face as Helen droned on about her and Will. Now, if it had been Helen and Phedre or someone equally as French then Nikola would have been all ears but William and he did not tend to get on. It was always the same with the men in Helen's bed, first John and now William dearest. "I'm grateful that he makes you happy at least, that he'll do his best by Gregory but do I have to be grateful for him?"

"Well, I suppose not, but try to hide that bit," Helen said, rolling her eyes a little at him.

"Look, I just think you and Will would get on much better if you acknowledged that you respected one another. He's a good man, Nikola, and good to me. Surely you want that for me, don't you? Rather than...other alternatives? I know you don't like to see me hurt."

"Yes, well I'll start acknowledging that I might have respect for him if he does it first." Nikola replied childishly. Not that he really did respect Will's field. Psychology was not, and never would be, a proper science to Nikola. Ever. "Of course I don't want to see you hurt, you're my best friend Helen. Just get your husband to admit I'm brilliant and then I'll get along splendidly with him. And admit it in public or the paper."

"He already knows you're brilliant. It's your manners he takes issue with," Helen reminded him dryly. "As do I, upon occasion, but I'm older and more tolerant."

Helen brushed her finger back against the baby's cheek. "Is my darling hungry? He's so very quiet with his Uncle Nikola, yes he is."

"What manners? Helen, I'm over a hundred years old I don't need manners." Nikola replied with a smirk. "Of course he's quiet with me, he already loves, fears and respects me."

"Everyone can stand to have manners, Nikola," Helen said, exasperated. She gently adjusted Gregory's blanket, straightening it even though it didn't need straightening.

"I'm glad you're here. I know I don't always seem that way."

"Everyone is not me, everyone is just that everyone. Mediocre... boring." Nikola replied, helping Helen fuss a little over Gregory. If Nikola had his way there would be nothing ordinary about Gregory. "You and everyone, in some ways I'm glad I'm here as well and in others I still wish we could get off this damn island and get back to being immortal."

"I'm tired of living forever. I want someone to grow old with," Helen said, shrugging a bit. "I want someone who knows me, inside and out. I have that here, so I'm just as content to stay as you are to leave. I know it's a different circumstance, of course, but it's how I feel."

Nikola thought to say that living forever with the person you loved was surely more reasonable, more romantic than dying with them. He thought about telling Helen he cared. What he actually settled for was-

"You can't die. I forbid it," Nikola said simply. "You're not leaving me alone."

"It's not up to you, Nikola. I have made my own choices and my choice is to remain here, with Will, and to have my mortal life. I have no doubt that eventually someone will crack the mystery of the island but I have no interest in it. Not when everything I hold dear is here. I've made peace with that."

Helen sighed and stretched her arms out to take the baby once more. "I've grown tired of political machinations and trying to cheat death and everything after. I want to be ordinary once more."

"Why can't it be? Why must you all leave me? I won't allow it not again." Nikola said, jaw tense as he looked at Helen seriously. He wouldn't allow her to settle for a mortal life, he wouldn't allow her to leave him alone like Nigel and James. Like everyone he had ever cared for. "You might have made peace with it but I haven't. I never will."

Nikola could feel his hand tensing, Gregory stirring in his arms. He offered him back to Helen, once safely out of his arms Nikola stood up unsettled and annoyed at her. She couldn't die, he wouldn't allow it. Not now, not ever. "You're not ordinary, you never were."

"Perhaps I'm not but I will not watch Gregory grow up and die while I remain the same. I won't lose Will. It's just not an option, Nikola."

Perhaps it was selfish but Nikola was selfish too, in his own way.

"There are other options, we have the source blood Helen." Nikola replied, crossing his arms sulkily across his chest.

"That likely doesn't work," Helen pointed out. "Besides, I doubt Will would concede to that for himself or our child. Again, the point is rendered moot."

She softened her voice. "Can't you be content with mortality, Nikola?"

"What and grow old and die before I've changed the world? Never, I'll never be content with that Helen. It's not romantic, it's resignation." Nikola replied simply. He would never be satisfied fully with a mortal life, immortality or at least his name memorialised was his life's ambition. Change, bringing that about was his goal. "William doesn't know what's good for him."

"No, Will just doesn't feel the need to seek glory and make a name for himself. Since he's the one in my bed, I think it's not entirely a bad path to take."

Helen laughed a little. "It's conceited of me to assume that all of you want to sleep with me, isn't it?"

"Not any more so than I think you all want tto sleep with me, Will included." Nikola replied with a lighter look on his face. "You won't leave me alone, will you Helen? Not like James."

"Will does not want to sleep with you. I don't think he has a single homosexual inclination in his body," Helen said, laughing loudly. She sobered for a moment and touched her hand to his.

"Darling, I will be here as long as I can manage. You know that. You know I care about you, Nikola."

"No, then how do you explain all this unresolved sexual tension between us?" Nikola said with a smirk at Helen. His smirk turned softer as she touched his hand. "I know, shame you won't ever listen to me or do what I want, isn't it? Then I wouldn't have to lose you as well."

"You're not playing fair, Nikola," Helen pointed out but, really, what was fair in situations like this? Very little. She'd made her choice and she was determined to stick by it. She didn't want to leave Will or Gregory alone ever again.

"When have I ever played fair?" Nikola replied with a tired smirk. "Playing fair is boring."

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