What's the old saying? Kids in candystores... [for notsocommon]

[electricvamp]

He'd seen her as soon as she'd arrived in Rome, of course. Gone out of his way, risked discovery, even. After sixty years in hiding, he risked everything. But it was worth it. She hadn't changed in all that time - not that he'd expect her to, but it was still the thrill of the knowledge.

And dammit, if she hadn't been wearing boots. He might have avoided her, just led the Cabal on a merry chase through the underground of Rome, Helen none the wiser to the threat. But her in those fabulous leather boots? How could he resist?

So he'd let her know that he was there, alive, and back out of hiding. And yes, the Cabal was chasing her as well as him, but the thrill of it...

It felt good to be alive again.

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[notsocommon]

Helen had not entirely expected Nikola to send her a note while she was lecturing in Rome. She'd not seen him in sixty years and thought, surely, he'd never show his face in public again since he was supposed to be dead but she guessed rules were meant to be broken.

"Care to explain who, exactly, is planning to kill me?"

[electricvamp]

By now, Nikola was bored of seclusion. It had been fine for the first fifteen - maybe twenty - years, but they were living in a time of amazing technological change, and he wanted to be at the forefront.

Which led to Rome. "The Cabal," he said, leading then down a small passageway. "A most unsavory lot. I'm surprised you haven't run into them. You have interests in common, after all."

[notsocommon]

"We've had our dealings," Helen said, wrinkling her nose a bit at the thought of it. "None were pleasant. I recently had to give up the Morrigan to them and that was a large concession on my part. How have you gotten mixed up with them anyway? You're meant to be dead."

[electricvamp]

"Boring," Nikola said, waving off her comment that he was supposed to be dead. "Everyone who wanted me dead is, well, dead themselves, so it's time for my triumphant resurrection. More a 'dance on the grave, I win' kind of resurrection. Not literally, I hasten to add." And then the Cabal got in the way. Typical, spoiling his party.

[notsocommon]

"History still thinks you're dead," Helen pointed out. "And that's nothing to be trifled with. At least think of how time consuming the paperwork's going to be."

Helen had her own headaches with having been alive for so long, she didn't need Nikola's added to them. And yet, she couldn't help but be happy he was alive and well.

"How do we shake them off our trail, then?"

[electricvamp]

"And it'll keep on thinking I'm dead. After all, I died a decrepit, penniless old man," he pointed out with a grin. "Whereas the reality is very different."

He produced a key from his pocket with a flourish. "I know a secret exit to everywhere. I had a tendency to need one after a while."

[notsocommon]

"If you angered less people, you might not need them," Helen said. Still, she was grateful he did have a route in mind because these boots weren't exactly meant for a firefight.

"Could you possibly have waited until I was wearing something more conducive to going on the run?"

[electricvamp]

"This is me we're talking about. People don't know how to deal with genius," he said. Modesty was never a strong point of his, and sixty years having to hide away meant that when he was given freedom to be himself, it was a giddying sensation.

He looked her up and down, smirking slightly. "Oh I don't know. You've worn worse things when we've been on the run before. I like the boots. Very hot."

[notsocommon]

"I thought to myself this morning, well, Nikola's long dead, no fear in pulling these out," Helen quipped. She liked the boots as well but, perhaps more importantly, she liked how Nikola liked the boots. Modesty had never been a strong suit of hers either.

"Where are you staying? Maybe they won't look for me if I'm with you."

[electricvamp]

"Hotel Trastevere. Gaudy hotel, but it's acceptable," he said, glancing at her. "Why, Helen, just what are you suggesting?"

[notsocommon]

"I'm suggesting you take me back to your room so we have a place to stage an attack. Mine's closer, so they'll be more likely to look for us there," she said, rolling her eyes.

"Nobody will expect you to do something so ridiculous as go back to your own room."

[electricvamp]

Never mind that the Cabal was after him. He'd been reasonable careful in hiding, it's only when he approached Helen that they really got a bead on him.

"It could work," he said, glancing around to get his bearings. "Though if you wanted to get me into a hotel room with you, all you had to do was ask."

[notsocommon]

Helen arched a brow. "You wouldn't even know what to do with me if you did get me alone in a hotel room."

Now wasn't the time or place but Helen couldn't really rule it out. Adrenaline had always made her do strange things.

[electricvamp]

"Not what you said last time. Or the time before that, even," Nikola shot back at her. Fond memories. They'd always had an... interesting relationship.

[notsocommon]

"A lady is allowed to change her mind," Helen said loftily. In truth, it was a very weak argument considering that nine times out of ten, she did fall into bed with him.

"Come on, let's go."

[electricvamp]

"Shall we take bets this time as to how long you hold out?" Nikola joked. "It's not too far. It just means a bit of a walk for us." He didn't mind, but in those boots...

[notsocommon]

"All signs point to inside of twenty minutes." Helen wasn't as put out about this as she might be normally because it had been a long while since she'd seen him and the thrill of the day had to be expended in some way.

"And a bit of a walk is fine. I'd rather that than be shot."

[electricvamp]

He held his hand up, forcing her to stop close to him as he listened to the Cabal soldiers moving closer. "We might want to hurry," he murmured on her ear, changing direction and walking faster. Up top, they could mingle into the crowds of tourists easily.

[notsocommon]

"You don't have to tell me twice," Helen said, quickening her pace. Once they were among people again, they would be less likely to be caught. The Cabal wouldn't risk a public incident even for prizes like she and Nikola.

Sorry, bb. Life shouldn't have to impact on rp...

[electricvamp]

Nikola had hold of Helen's arm, and was guiding her up some stairs. The sooner they were out in the open air, the happier he'd be. Cabal would be easy to lose.

"Not far to go now," he murmured at her.

[notsocommon]

"Rather thrilling, isn't it?"

It was much easier to joke when the end was in sight and once they cleared the tunnels and got out into the open streets, Helen was a lot more comfortable. "All right, time to lose them. Let's make a dash for it."

[electricvamp]

"You miss it," he pointed out with a glance at her. "The thrill of the chase with us all. Those were the days, weren't they?"

He grabbed hold of her hand, and led them through the crowds, making sure he lost the Cabal. Their guns would stand out here.

[notsocommon]

Navigating Rome was a bit more difficult now than it might have been a century ago but Helen managed. Once it seemed they'd shaken their Cabal tail, she tugged Nikola through the crowds to his hotel.

"Escaped, for now. What floor are you on?"

[electricvamp]

"Third, of course," he said, rolling his eyes slightly. He was a creature of habit, after all, and the number three was always a significant number for him. Given how long he'd been in isolation, the old habits were never far from the surface.

"A rather nice suite there."

[notsocommon]

"Of course, third. All right, we'll go up and barricade ourselves. Although we might want to grab a room service cart before we do," Helen said, laughing a bit. "Wouldn't want to starve while we wait them out."

That and, well. Meetings with Nikola almost always ended in other activities even if she told herself they weren't.

[electricvamp]

Nikola walked past the conceirge as they entered the hotel, and he tipped him with a nod as they passed by. The man would make sure noone suspect would get into the hotel. "That can be arranged, I'm sure," he said, guiding her towards the elevator. "Might be holed up for a day or so at least."

[notsocommon]

"Probably. And me without a change of clothes." It was a trivial matter at best but Helen hated for appearances to be anything less than pristine. "Whatever will we do in a hotel room for the next twenty four hours, hmm? We'll be bored stiff."

[electricvamp]

"I'm sure we can think of something," Nikola said, giving her a look of pure innocence. "After all, it's only sixty years to catch up on."

[notsocommon]

"You must be starved for attention having been anonymous for so long. Do you need me to fawn over you a bit?"

She and Nikola had always teased one another mercilessly and that wasn't about to change for her part.

[electricvamp]

He pretended to think about it for a while. "Well, if you're offering..." Though he didn't mind, not really. It wasn't as if he was totally alone that time.

[notsocommon]

"I only hope I can compare to your loyal fans," Helen said dryly. Still, she winked and flashed him a flirty smile. "You know I so hate it when I'm not the most beautiful woman in the room. It makes me think about all those years I was a spinster and it's never a good thing."