A Surprise from Histories Past.- OPEN

[DR KATHRYN LAWSON]

Kathryn opened the doors to the Sanctuaries library and wandered in hopeful that the site of books would take her into another world. The grand site of the library reminded Kathryn of the first time she saw the Praxian library it made her want to cry. As she scanned the shelves she smiled as all of her favourite authors were there, fiction and nonfiction. Slowly she picked book after book collecting them and putting them on the table nearby so that she may spend the rest of the time reading but as she moved to the history section of the library Kathryn stopped dead in her tracks. She couldn’t believe what she was staring at ....”How?” she said under her breath. Right in the middle of the history section of Helen’s library were two very old first addition books, clearly over 100 years old. The gold embossed words on the side read Human Evolution from Histories Past Part 1. Dr K.Lawson. “Oh dear god, She had my thesis published”.
The site of both parts of her thesis published and sitting on the Sanctuaries shelf brought tears to Kathryn’s eyes, Helen had been a huge supporter of her theories but Kathryn could never understand why and when the academic community shunned her she couldn’t take it. Kathryn pulled both books off the shelf and opened the cover of the first one, looking inside to see the publishing date 1902 Kathryn couldn’t believe it. All the memories of her final year at Oxford came flooding back, especially the day she presented her thesis to a room full of stuffy old men well set in their beliefs.
Kathryn had never been a nervous person, but that day she couldn’t think straight. Her thesis was revolutionary using historical and Archaeological evidence to prove the existence of people with extraordinary abilities. She had spent the best part of 7yrs working on this thesis, travelling to different parts, collecting all the evidence she could to make sure she would not be laughed at. Having well over 120 references made Kathryn think she could not be denied, especially as Helen had been one of those references, even if she had used a different name for her. Kathryn took her papers and walked into the University Hall, taking in her surroundings before beginning the toughest sell of her life. She began to present evidence from different world cultures, Japanese, Mongolians, the Aztecs and the Mayans but as she did she could hear the whispers in the crowd. She continued with a more modern culture in 15th century England but then those whispers became heckles.
“Why don’t you go write a piece of fiction? This is a theoretical joke!” “This is the reason women should have never been let into Oxford! Especially in Archaeology!”
Kathryn’s hands began to shake, she tried to fight back the tears but eventually the feeling became overwhelming. She only barely managed to finish her thesis before she hurried out of Oxford as quickly as she could, she knew at that moment she would never make professor. As she walked into her home she threw her papers against the wall angry that her theories had been made fun of. She took out the first bottle of scotch she saw and just drank straight from the bottle, so unlade like and so unlike her.
Four hours later and 3 bottles of scotch later Kathryn heard a knock at the door, when she opened it she saw a smiling Helen in front of her holding a bottle of wine it was obvious Helen was there thinking a celebration was in order but the mood quickly changed. Kathryn’s memories of the argument were some of the few she had successfully blocked out, only in part. She couldn’t recall what Helen had said but she remembered clearly her own words. “I should have never listened to you, now I will never work again. I should have just towed the line with everyone else, maybe then I could have pursued my research!”
“I am going to prove everyone wrong and I don’t care how! If I have to I will travel to the four corners of this god damn earth to find the evidence I need!”
Kathryn returned to her current reality with a heavy heart. That day set a chain reaction that would change the course of events for the rest of her life. 3 months after her drunken ramblings Kathryn had that fight with Helen and then she left for Paris before she headed to Mongolia. After roughly doing the calculations in her head, her thesis had been published 3 years after she had gone missing. “Dear god Helen why didn’t you tell me?”
Kathryn sat down at the desk and began to flick through the pages, thinking about it now Kathryn couldn’t believe how right she had been all along. As she examined the pages in the book she noticed some of them had notes in the margin, it was Helen’s writing. It seemed that even after she had gone she had not been forgotten.

[DR HELEN MAGNUS]

It had been just over a few days since the incident with Katheryn Lawson, and Helen had been avoiding her since. She was still bitter at what had unfolded, and so she didn't know what to think anymore. After Katheryn's surprise return, Helen had been reminiscing the past more often these days. She had to keep reminding herself that what had happened in the past, was not her fault. She warned Katheryn several times, and trusted her as old friends would. What Helen would give to approach things differently. Through several disagreements and heated arguments, Helen still cared for Katheryn. Women at Oxford was unheard of. Helen Magnus was the first woman - curtesy of her father Gregory Magnus when he gave her rhe opportunity. And the moment Katheryn had entered those walls, they befriended almost instantly. They connected. In most cases, they shared a similar perspective. But since Katheryn became consumed in her personal research, things turned drastically.

And after that final argument, Helen felt gutted. Since her disappearance, Helen wasted no time looking for her, despite their differences. She still cared for her. Months had past since the day she was notified of the tragic accident, and she never stopped looking for her. But as months turned to years, her search seemingly failed. There was no sign of her whereabouts, and no sign of a body. So Helen had no choice but to stop searching. Her leads always ended up at dead ends, and by this point, she had her own problems to face.

In 1902, she decided to publish Katheryn Lawson's thesis in honour of her work, and in her memory.

It wasn't until 1908 when she murdered Adam Worth - or so she thought - and received funding for the foundations of the Sanctuary, by King Edward VII. By this point, she had decided to pursue Katheyn's investigation once The Five was able to use more advance technology.

But as the Sanctuary evolved over time, so did Helen. And so Katheryn's investigation was never re-opened.

Henry had spent hours working with Nikola to get the Sanctuary systems up and running at full capacity again. They clearly were not happy with the situation, but given recent events, the need for their defences was crucial.

Helen Magnus wandered the halls with her face buried in the dusty old pages of a large ancient geographical textbook. She was on her way to the Library to hunt for one of one of her Father's books in her search to discover the origins of the Elementals who have recently resurfaced.

But what she did not expect, was Dr Katheryn Lawson seated at one of the tables, deep in thought and her own face buried in a book. And not just any book. The thesis that Helen had published.

Helen quietly walked up behind her, and cast an uneasy glance her way. Crystal blue eyes peered over her book, when she spoke ever so softly.

"Because I didn't think I'd ever see you again."

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[DR KATHRYN LAWSON]

Kathryn didn’t look up from the book; she had sensed someone had been behind her for quite a while. In some ways Helen’s presence was calming and for the first time since she had arrived she felt ready to talk.

“This book...This book made me a laughing stock and yet looking at it now I realise that I had been right all along” Kathryn placed the book down on the table and got up to face Helen.
“To be honest I never expected to see any of you again, let alone come back to the surface.”

Kathryn turned away from Helen walking over to one of the bookshelves and ran her fingers along the spines of the books, many of which would match her in age. She smiled at the thought of the books she had spent nearly 90 years looking over and learning from and yet the sadness returned when she knew she would never return. Too many emotions ran through Kathryn’s mind, she had seen far more than anyone should ever have to see in a lifetime.
“I was desperate when I left London Helen, I had spent nearly half my life working towards something and in one fleeting second of madness I thought it was gone. A part of me though is glad I went to Paris...Yes I know how that sounds considering who the Body snatcher actually was, but fate has a way of playing itself into the right hands.”
Kathryn thought about that night, paying over part of her life savings to a French doctor whom she knew could possibly kill her. The pain and agony she felt had quickly been replaced by happiness which then had descended into fear of the unknown.
“I don’t remember a lot of those last few days leading up to my disappearance. Just flashes I guess. The unbearable pain in my head felt like I had been shot multiple times. It was nothing I have ever experienced’
A look of sadness crossed Kathryn’s face when she thought about those final few moments.
“I thought I was going to die Helen and the one thing I thought about in that moment was how I regret our final interaction being an argument. You trusted me when no-one else did but now that I have this second chance I can say I’m sorry, I’m sorry for everything.”

Kathryn knew in her own mind that it wouldn’t be long before her body would be unable to control the force that was taking over her body. But while she was willing and able she would do everything she could to repair a friendship that had been damaged with time. Whether either one of them was willing to admit it or not, they needed each other especially going into the unknown.

[DR HELEN MAGNUS]

As Kathryn rose from her seat, Helen watched as she made her way to one of the old library shelves. So many old tomes filled with thousands of years of history, sat still in quite admirable condition. Most of these books belonged to her father, and it was full of wonderful treasures. Helen could sit in the library and read for hours, if only she wasn't spending all her days trying to prevent a worldwide catastrophe. Ironically - If only she had the time.

Time. There's that word again.

Helen was over 300 years old. Time surpassed her, and she found herself being forced to live all those years again. Two lifetimes. Plus the time spent in Carentan a year ago - God knows how long she was there for. It all seemed like a massive blur, filled with a whirlwind of trials and emotions. Even to this day, Helen was still trying to come to terms with her life. Her accomplishments. Her failures. Her missed opportunities. Her daft decisions. It was clearly never ending.

No one ever really knew what she had been through. Nikola perhaps. But in those last one hundred and sixty three years spent in Nepal concocting her master plans, no one ever truly knew what she had endured. And when she came back to the current timeline, she returned a changed woman. Not completely. The changes were very subtle, but only those close to her could see it. Will definitely did. He was the first to notice.

She found herself glancing at Kathryn, trying to come to terms with her reappearance. One in which stirred up more trouble than she could have imagined.

Kathryn mentioned Paris and the body snatcher. Helen could only muster up a light sigh, and cast her wary eyes to the books overhead. "There was definitely no stopping you. However things would have played out different, had you considered my warning."

Helen wandered closer towards Kathryn with confidence in her step, as her dark heels clicked lightly on the polished marble floors. Helen nodded as she listened to her every word. And for the first time in a very long while, they saw eye to eye. Helen had many regrets. And their last argument was one of them. It was something that had always crept in her mind, every time something reminded her of Kathryn.

Helen's voice dropped, "I know I have said some horrible things. Then, and now. Things I deeply regret. I truly value our friendship, just like old times. Please understand I just wanted the best for you. I forgive you. Will you forgive me?"

Without really thinking, Helen lightly placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

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[DR KATHRYN LAWSON]

Forgiveness, it was such a difficult word for Kathryn to hear let alone deal with. Often it had been used in such hollow circumstances, whether it be from Oxford, her parents or in Praxis but at least now she knew it was genuine. Kathryn looked down at her shoulder to see Helen’s hand there and for the first time in a long time Kathryn felt reassured.
“I forgive you Helen, I forgave you the moment I walked into this magnificent building”
Kathryn took another moment to survey her surroundings again, when she had arrived she had not truly appreciated the Sanctuary but now she was truly in awe.
The Sanctuary reminded her of the old council building in Praxis, with its grand halls and high ceilings it was a place of grand wonder. And even after a century she still couldn’t believe that she had been allowed into such a place.
But in that moment she realised it was time to show Helen everything. Her outburst on her arrival had been out of her control; now with a level head she knew that whatever was happening to her needed to be seen. If anyone could give her a straight answer it would be Helen.

“Please look into my eyes Helen” as she placed both her hands on Helens shoulders. And after a few moments of deep breathing a blue flash of light crossed Kathryn’s eyes. The look on Helen’s face was obvious but as Kathryn let go of Helen she spoke.

“When I arrived in Praxis I wasn’t able to control the energy that flowed from me. So the medical technicians developed a pill which almost “fed” this need for energy over a long period. What it did though was extend my life by centuries. I don’t know if this is permanent but what I do know is that since I have arrived here I can hear further than I ever have been able too. And I can now see words on the spines of books nearly four times further away than most humans.”

Kathryn looked away for a moment. She felt ashamed that she had slowly become something that had never been intended.
“Help me understand what became a part of me in Paris”

[DR HELEN MAGNUS]

Helen released a breath of relief - a breath she didn't not know she was holding. Not many people have mustered up the will to forgive her in the past. Thought in most cases, she didn't blame them at all. Regrettably, Helen knew she had done some things she'd rather forget. But after all, she was only human, and despite the Source Blood coursing through her veins, she still considered herself as such.

But there was another matter that was pressing into the back of her mind. Something that seemingly bothered her the moment she discovered Kathryn. "I must ask - How did you discover the Sanctuary?"

Helen flinched slightly at the contact, but accepted it anyway. It was strange seeing her old friend again. In some ways, it felt like no time had passes and they were the same as they were back at Oxford. But the further Helen thought about it, she realised that they had both become two very different women. Kathryn was still a dear friend - But not the same women she remembered all those years ago.

Helen crinkled her brow slightly, trying to come to terms with her Abnormalities. "Could it be possible your implant was apart of a hybrid Abnormal? From memory, I don't recall any type of species with those collective abilities. Perhaps a sort of, second sight? One of large scale, of course."

She nodded at Kathryn's request. Her desperate plea. "I will do my best to find answers. I will. I haven't been sitting under a rock for over one hundred and fifty years. A lot has changed since you left."

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[DR KATHRYN LAWSON]

Oh the obvious question emerged much to Kathryn’s disdain. Kathryn knew more about what had happened to Helen and the Sanctuary then she had been letting on. For as long as she could remember she had been having contact with people who knew as much as Helen herself. “I knew because your father told me.” Kathryn and Gregory Magnus had initially met briefly at a council meeting but it was one night in the library that the two began to have lengthy conversations. When Gregory discovered Kathryn and Helen had been friends he knew he could trust her. It had been he that had convinced her to come to Helen in those last days of the destruction of Praxis. Gregory’s last words to her still rang in her ears as the fires caused by Adam Worth’s destruction fell around her.
“Go to Old City find Helen! Tell her everything”
Helen’s father had become almost a surrogate father to her in those final few years. He had taught her many things and helped her hone certain skills that had begun to emerge. Without him Kathryn knew that she would never have been able to cope.

Kathryn rubbed her temple a headache was slowly beginning to return. The thought of her turning into a hybrid abnormal genuinely scared her. The fear of the unknown always had.

“It is possible I guess. I found out later the body snatcher had been stealing parts from an old storage facility that was in the back alleys of Paris. I believe it is now the bottom level of a hospital now”

Kathryn was relieved to hear that Helen would help her. Despite her constant need to be in control Kathryn knew she couldn’t, she had to submit to whatever tests Helen wanted to conduct.

“Do whatever tests you need Helen and in return I will tell you everything I have learned in over a century in Praxis.”

[DR HELEN MAGNUS]

At the mention of her father, Helen cast her sad eyes away from Kathryn. On her trek into Hollow Earth to track down Adam Worth with John, that was when they stumbled into the horrific ruins of what was once Praxis. A magnificent city hidden away in the core of the Earth, unknowing to all those who walked the surface. Amongst the rubble, they came across her fathers walking stick. And yet Gregory was no where to be found. Deep down inside, she knew he was still alive. He was a brilliant man, far excelling anyone she ever knew. Somehow, she hoped he had survived.

She took a weary breath, age noticeable in her gaze, and looked back towards Kathryn. "Ah. That explains quite a lot. I refuse to believe he perished along with Praxis." Although only a week has passed since Praxis was destroyed, she'd only hope her father will come knocking on her door unscathed. She tried looking for him, and like Kathryn, her search ultimately failed. And she hated herself for it, every day since.

What good is her life, if she fails to save the people close to her heart?

Helen listened closely to Kathryn's theory. "Honestly, I think Paris seems like a wonderful place to start. If I can search for any indication of where he lived, it might benefit our search and give us a lead. However - " Helen pursed her lips and tilted her head slightly upwards, almost to peer down at her. "I won't let you travel with me, in your condition. But first, I need to find a way to suppress your headaches, and blackouts. I highly doubt any generic dose of mediation would work."

At Kathryn's last request, Helen would not help but think back when she had to operate on Abby when her life was in danger. She admitted she was reckless. She was certain on her theory, yes, but she ignored all of the risks. And put her close friendship with Will in danger. These days, it was all in the name of science. Since Helen practically outlived most of everyone she knew, getting close to someone was out of the question. It would only become more painful for her to bear. So she simply did what her gut instincts told her.

"I realise this is a difficult situation for you. If you don't want me to perform tests to further unmask your abnormalities, then I will not challenge you. I have no clue what we are dealing with, or how severe the side effects may become if we leave it any longer."

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