- - - Echoed Memories | Tag: Kathryn

[DR HELEN MAGNUS]

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New intakes were beginning the flood the Sanctuary corridors by the hour. Many of them seeked refuge within the Sanctuary walls. Others were patients lying unconscious in the Infirmary. With the recent outbreak of refugees from Hollow Earth, Helen had been on her feet for over 24 hours, trying desperately to make sure each and every one was cared for, and safe. It was not an easy job, and yet it was one she did well. With the help of Big Guy, they made sure each had a place to sleep for the night. Soon enough, the guest rooms and Infirmary beds were filling up. Soon enough, she may need to transfer some of them to other Sanctuaries.

From injured Herusans, to reptilian Hyronites, she had seen them all within the day. Meanwhile Henry was busy cataloguing the new Abnormals, while Kate was on her way with a van full of Abnormals. It was almost like a massive Abnormal operation. Those who did not want, or were forced out of the Abnormal camps, were taken to the Sanctuary. And given the recent outbreak of brawls, the injured were treated here. There were times when Helen desired for more medical staff.

But there was one woman in particular, which sparked her curiosity. Only hours before, a woman had yelled through the intercom. Whilst Helen was busy with a high trauma patient, she had asked Big Guy to see to visitor, only to have him carrying in an almost lifeless, bleeding body of a woman. This woman was near death, and yet she had found the Sanctuary in search for medical attention. And she was bleeding, fast. Helen quickly finished off her patient, and attended to this woman. There was something familiar about her, however she could not quite put her mind to remember.

There was blood everywhere. Lacerations to both her right arm, and the left side of her body. Large gashes, which were signs of an attacked. This woman was attacked, and she was now bleeding all over the Infirmary floor. She sedated her, and used stitches to piece together the bloodied wounds. It was a tedious task, but it had to be done properly. With most high priority patients attended to, she could now focused her mind on one person at a time. And this time, all her thoughts were focused on this woman.

Why did she seem so familiar?

Once Helen attached the IV drip to the woman’s arm, checked her blood pressure, and made sure the wounds were not seeping, she sat on the edge of the bed, and surveyed the woman. Retrieving a warm cloth from the bowl beside the bed, she began to wipe away the blood which had spotted all over the woman’s delicate features. But as she did so, the feeling of familiarity became stronger. Almost as if, the more blood she wiped away, the more the woman’s face became less of a mystery. But slowly and surely, Helen’s expression changed from focused, and collected, to a strong feeling of realisation.

”…Dear God. Kathryn.”

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[DR KATHRYN LAWSON]

Kathryn’s memories after collapsing in front of the Sanctuary were vague. She remembered being picked up and taken inside but after that all there were was bits and pieces like puzzle that couldn’t be put back together. She heard sounds, saw flashes of light and once she even thought Helen was by her side but her in severely weakened state she just assumed it was a dream. After what seemed a while a sudden calm came over her body and all the pain that she had washed away allowing her to sleep properly for the first time in weeks.

She slowly retreated into her dreams remembering happier times in Praxis, and how she had overcome all odds to be accepted into the wider community. She had been an outsider when she had arrived but from early on she had been told her abilities were of significance and this was the reason she had been allowed to stay in the city. Her memories then floated further back to what she still considered her happiest time, Oxford. The history, the place, the time and of course the people two people she will never forget from her time at Oxford were Helen & Adam Worth both for very different reasons.

Kathryn had met Adam first; she had been on the campus for less than 2 hours when she made her way to some of the laboratories. She found Adam performing some gas experiments but just as he was about to add some hydrochloric acid to the fix Kathryn stopped him because had he continued he would have blown himself apart. A tiny part of her now wished she had let him. Adam remained grateful for Kathryn’s help & advice and in those early days became quite close. He would often travel half way across London in the middle of the night to ask her opinion on things even though she had no science training. Adam had always told her, It doesn’t matter you are smarter than half of those students put together you are brilliant.

As time went on things slowly began to change between the two. It had been clear from the beginning Adam hoped things would progress in their friendship but that never interested her. And when she saw his wild theories and dangerous designs Kathryn realised she was friends with a mad man. She quickly distanced herself from him, which he seemed to take well, she had no idea that he would simply move onto someone else.

Helen was very different altogether, kind, highly intelligent and always willing to listen to others opinions she had become somewhat known by the time Kathryn had arrived in London. In some ways it surprised her even more when they met; Kathryn had been studying in the library learning about recent research into ancient Mongolian society when she overheard Helen talking to someone about the historical connection to an experiment she had been working on. Although she wouldn’t normally do it Kathryn felt compelled to tell Helen she was wrong and thus it sparked and unlikely close friendship.

Kathryn’s mind then brought her to the end of her time in Oxford. Her first paper had been published and it caused uproar among the scholars and public. She believed there was historical proof that people with extraordinary abilities could have helped build the great structures of Egypt & that Mongolia held the answers. Helen told her never to give up her beliefs & follow her theories but she felt she had been made a laughing stock of. But she was comforted by the fact she knew she did have proof.

Happy memories faded into the darkness of her mind as she was almost forced to relive her darkest day. She had just received word a wealthy American business man was willing to fund a dig in northern Mongolia to help prove her theories when Helen arrived at her home wanting to talk to her.

Helen seemed almost nervous which for Kathryn which was a rare site. Helen had heard about Kathryn’s dig and wanted her to turn it down instead coming to work with her. A fight erupted between the two, Kathryn accusing Helen of thinking she was worthless & Helen retorting that their friendship had meant nothing. Helen stormed out clearly upset and she never saw her in person again.

Less than a day later her world turned upside down and nothing she had ever had known was the same again.

Kathryn’s mind slowly returned to a conscious state leaving the dream world behind. But as she did she had no idea how much time had truly passed.

[DR HELEN MAGNUS]

Helen was aghast.

Never in the wildest memories, would she expect to find Doctor Kathryn Lawson lying wounded, in an Infirmary bed at the Sanctuary. It had been years – decades even – when Helen had suspected the woman to be dead. Honestly, she had no idea what had happened.

Helen had met Kathryn purely by accident. In fact, it was Kathryn whom approached her first regarding one of Helen’s predated experiments. Besides the work Helen had conducted with the Five, she was off hidden away in one of the private labs conducting her own research into the Source Blood she had discovered not long before. Helen was the type of woman to be hidden away for hours, even days on end, looking for solid data of the Source Blood. Moreso, its origins. When the others – the Five – has asked questions, Helen would always have the answers. She was almost their unofficial leader. The one who kept them motivated. Kept them open-minded, so that they could combine their knowledge and work together. That’s why the Five were so successful. Their desire to unravel the truth to the Source Blood was so compelling, that they were willing to risk their own lives to uncover it’s mysteries. Helen has deemed the Blood safe to use. After nearly 2 years of experiments with the ancient blood, she was more than willing to volunteer.

Oxford had unravelled many brilliant minds during those golden years, and the Five weren’t just the only individuals. Adam Worth had been another, however if it weren’t in his desire to injure and put lives at risk, then the Five would have surely become the Six. But no matter how much effort Helen and the others took to see reason with him, they realised it was much too late. After Helen had shot Adam worth all those years ago, the man was never seen again.

But the other brilliant mind was indeed Kathryn Lawson. An Australian woman, who had travelled the seas to settle at Oxford University, had surely sparked the curious mind of Helen. Helen has always had a keen eye for genius’ in the making. She was the type of woman to see the potential in everyone, and she instantly knew this woman would never disappoint in her work. Their meeting was purely by accident. Kathryn had confronted Helen on one of her most recent experiments concerning the Source Blood. Helen may have discovered the roots of origin of the blood, and may have found connections to a few civilisations on Earth. But given Kathryn’s determination to prove Helen wrong, had seemingly corrected her on a historical fact that she may have misread. This lead to the strange friendship between the two woman.

On most cases Helen hated to be proved wrong. Many years of trial and error had led her to believe that she had all the answers. But even she knew that she was bound to be wrong at somepoint in her life. She was rather grateful for Kathryn, because she was never afraid to correct Doctor Helen Magnus, who was a rather notorious scientist in the time of Oxford. But alas, they became rather close. Helen helped her occasionally with scientific facts, and when it came to historical data, Helen was sure to confront Kathryn first.

But whence came friendship, came conflict.

Helen had tried to convince Kathryn that heading out in the Mongolian dig in her condition, was a bad idea. Helen was one of the few people who knew about the operations that underwent on Kathryn’s shattered knee. In fact, she had insisted she could operate on it herself safely, and possibly use the Source Blood to accelerate the healing process. But due to this harsh conflict, Kathryn was not willing to listen to Helen’s pleas, so this caused Helen to storm out of the lab, utterly furious with the woman’s rash decision.

After that, Kathryn was never seen again.

Much to her fiancé Johns protests at the time, Helen was determine to find the woman and bring her home. She knew something was not right, and so set out to scout the location that Kathryn was last seen. There were a few locals who pointed her in the right direction, however once she got to the site, she realise Kathryn was no-where to be seen. All that was left was Kathryn’s pocket watch, given to her from one of the Oxford professors. Although Helen knew she had warned the woman prior to her mission, and yet she felt responsible.

James had told her time and time again, that she was not the one to blame. But Helen spent months after the incident to try and find her, however it was like she had dropped off the face of the earth. So, without any other logical explanation, she declared the woman dead.

And now, over a hundred years later, Helen was not staring at the still-youthful complexion of the woman that defied her knowledge back in Oxford. An old friend. An old rival. Honestly, she didn’t know how she let such a disagreement break up their friendship. But now, here she was, lying wounded in the Infirmary. How is it that she was still alive, and looking no older than the last time she had seen her? What exactly was her Abnormality?

”Oh Kathryn, where have you been all this time?” Helen’s voice was quiet, as so many thoughts were running through her head. Now, she feels guilty as ever.

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[DR KATHRYN LAWSON]

Kathryn heard a faint voice in the background, it felt like it was miles away but she knew in her own mind that whoever was talking was right beside her. She was weak but her mind was now sharp and her thoughts were clear, she had made it to the Sanctuary. Slowly Kathryn’s eyes fluttered until cracks of light came in and eventually she opened them with what felt like all her strength.

Blurry shapes slowly became clearer and it was at that point, the person who had been talking to her was indeed Helen. She couldn’t say anything to begin with; all she could do was stare at her, after well over a century the great Helen Magnus was now sitting by her bed side looking as if she had seen a ghost. In all honesty she couldn’t blame Helen; she dropped off the face of the earth and was most likely presumed dead after a few years. But how could she explain? There was so much that Helen knew but also in the same breath didn’t know. Helen had known about the experiments on her knee but Kathryn never told her who performed them and if Helen had known she may have been even more horrified.

There it was the dreaded question, where had Kathryn been for well over a century? Her mind raced trying to think of the best way to put it but the more she thought the weaker she became. She tried to clear her throat but all that came out were two words.

“Hollow Earth”

And before Helen could react, Kathryn passed out from the pain once again.

[DR HELEN MAGNUS]

Helen frowned, as she considered the hoarse words that finally escaped Kathryn's mouth, "...Hollow Earth? How?" Helen needed answers, and the sooner she got them, the better. How did this woman come to discover Hollow Earth? It couldn't have been possible at the time. But then again, nothing ever really made sense in Helen's world. As if to say, Adam Worth had simply vanished. Only to have re-appeared once again alive and well, with a thirst for revenge. Helen had many questions, but she knew Kathryn was much to weak to be giving detailed events.

So, the woman drifted out of consciousness again. Helen double-checked the woman's vital, and although they were steady, the woman clearly just needed time to rest. Biggie had come in briefly to report to Helen that they had more guests. s none of them needed medical attention, she sent her old friend away to settle them into guest rooms until she could attend to them. She just couldn't bare to leave this woman by herself. Helen wanted to be here when she woke up.

Resting a cool hand on the woman's forehead, she studied her delicate features. Not a sign of aging since she had last seen her with her own eyes. She set the bloodied bowl of water aside, and remained seated there with all the thoughts running through her mind. And she only wondered if Kathryn was still angry with her, after all this time.

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[DR KATHRYN LAWSON]

Several hours went by; at least Kathryn thought that long went by. Time had become something of a nonexistent issue and even now she was still having trouble readjusting. Kathryn woke again for a 2nd time that night, much stronger and much more able to grasp her surroundings.

Kathryn slowly looked around trying to take everything in. The infirmary was packed to the rafters with abnormals sleeping through the pain of their injuries. It wasn’t hard for Kathryn to see that 90% of them were from Hollow Earth, many of them from the outlands. Her thoughts again trailed back to that horror few hours, the screams, the pain, the death, no-one should have to suffer what Adam had put Praxis through. Now she could only hope that she could be the one to stop Adam once and for all. She had not been lying to Veron either; if she got the chance to put a bullet in the back of his skull she would do it without question or hesitation.

She looked down to survey her own injuries; Helen had done an impeccable job as she always had fixing the damage. Kathryn knew if she got a chance to meet Veron again she was going to make sure she had a .38 in her hands when she did. She hated being up twice in a row. She knew although her injuries were severe she was alive & in time would fully recover. She couldn’t help thinking though, of all things to bring them together again it would be Adam but maybe that’s how fate wanted it.

She looked down at the end of the bed to find Helen had fallen asleep; she must have wanted to wait till she had woken. That did surprise her a little but the saying “time heals old wounds” really did ring true here and maybe now things may be better between them both. Helen no doubt had questions and lots of them and she was prepared to answer whatever was on her mind, after all they had not seen each other in over a century.

Kathryn gently nudged the edge of the bed waking Helen. Her voice still sore she decided to speak in short sentences.

“Hello Helen, I’m sorry for everything...Ask me whatever you want”

[DR HELEN MAGNUS]

Helen watched closely, as the woman stirred in her sleep. There were moments where she would wake, and then slip straight back into unconsciousness soon after. The drugs Helen had given her were strong, but they were mostly there to help relieve the pain. There was only so much she could do at this point, and she hated the idea of leaving her there alone.

After being on her feet for a little over twenty-four hours straight, Helen was exhausted. In her agonising wait for Kathryn to wake up, she could feel her azure eyes grow heavy and tired. She blinked several times, and found herself becoming more sleepy by the minute. However after some time for trying to keep awake, she succumbed to the exhaustion and closed her eyes. Soon enough, she was sound asleep.

The last thing she felt, was a delicate nudge at her arm. Helen stirred for a few moments, until her eyes slowly fluttered opened. Lifting up her head, she found Kathryn staring up at her from the bed. Her long lost friend had finally gained consciousness.

”Kathryn…How are you feeling?” Helen slowly rose from her position, and quickly checked her vital signs. She double-checked the IV drip, her blood pressure, and shone a bright light in her eyes, to check her pupils. Then after the basic check-up, Helen sat back down and surveyed the woman who was awake before her. Her eyebrows crinkled, and her face softened.

” Nonsense. No need to apologise. It’s been over a century. I thought you had died…” Helen took in a deep breath, and continued, ”…How did you end up in Hollow Earth?”

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[DR KATHRYN LAWSON]

There it was the obvious yet difficult question. Kathryn looked away for a moment as she collected her thoughts. For so long Kathryn had put those difficult few months away into a small box and packed them away at the back of her mind, it was not something she had ever planned on talking about ever again. But this was a different time & place, her world had been once again turned upside down but at least now she has someone to break her fall.

“I didn’t exactly know what I was looking for when I went to Mongolia. I guess I had hoped that there would be some obvious sign that the theories I had published would be proven right. I spent weeks near several rock and cave formations in the highlands because I had heard stories from the locals that there were cave paintings of the ancient Mongols being able to do “extraordinary” things. I had hoped these paintings would at least gain me some credibility with the academics in London. Right throughout my time in those caves a headache I had for weeks began to slowly grow worse and worse of course I was stubborn. ..

She cut herself off mid sentence when she saw the look on Helen’s face.

“Yes Helen I am stubborn I know that”

Kathryn continued.

“I ignored the headaches, I thought that my work was more important than my health and that if I could stay out there a little longer I could record more data down, but on this day it was virtually impossible. I honestly don’t remember a whole lot of what happened that day but what I do remember is that I was working when a sudden bolt of pain in my mind and I collapsed. When I woke I found myself in a bed in the main hospital in Praxis. Rana came to visit me and explained that some of the residents had found me and brought me here to allow me to recover”

Kathryn stopped again and surveyed Helen’s face, it was a mixture of concern, shock and worry and this didn’t surprise her in the least. It’s not every day a friend comes back from the dead. She decided to finish.

“After I had fully recovered from my injuries I was offered the chance to stay in Praxis and learn about the residents, it was an opportunity to great to pass up. So I stayed and used my ability to retain vast amounts of information to train myself in a number of different fields, including medicine. I was making a difference in Praxis and then Adam Worth arrived, setting a chain reaction which eventually lead to me ending up here”

Kathryn looked away again, it was almost impossible for her to hide what was written all over her face. She was clearly not telling Helen everything; those headaches didn’t start all by themselves and now without her medication she wasn’t sure what she would soon be able to do.

[DR HELEN MAGNUS]

Helen sat on the corner of Kathryn’s bed, waiting anxiously for the explanation that awaited her. Although Helen did seem somewhat bitter with the woman, she knew that it would take more than a few moments to compromise with her. After all, the woman bounded off to Mongolia in search of adventure, where Helen had protested otherwise, simply because she was not prepared. Surely, Helen would have loved to accompany the woman, however her own work had gotten in the midst of things, and the problems that arose around the Source Blood were far too important to ignore. Surely, Kathryn should have been more open-minded and less stubborn.

”If my own work had not intervene, I would have gladly accompanied you on your exploration in Mongolia, “ Helen’s eyes glistened with the thought of adventure. For decades, Helen spent vast amounts of time scouting ruins and locations where ancient civilisations once stood. Ironically, the same thirst for adventure almost cost Kathryn her life. Helen clenched her jaw, eager to say much more than she should to the woman, ”Can’t say I didn’t warn you, Kathryn. I’m a doctor and medical scientist for a reason. I knew that surgery would have resulted in many side-effects, sooner or later. “

Helen raised a curious eyebrow, ”Huh. I gather this situation seems somewhat familiar. As I recall, that was almost similar to how Adam Worth had reached the city. And he was near death.” Helen looked away briefly, as she tried to gather her thoughts. She must admit, it did answer many questions. She took note of the pain in Kathryn’s face as she recalled the events. After all this time, she had been alive and well, right underneath her feet. And no-one ever knew. Not even John, or even Nikola. Oxford was devoured of a brilliant student. Sadly, her disappearance had left many worried.

Helen placed a reassuring hand on Kathryn’s wrist, and held it there for several moments. It was the mere least she could do for the woman. ”But I must ask you this…How did you come to live for so many decades? I’d know more of your abnormality if you would allow me to study it.”

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[DR KATHRYN LAWSON]

Kathryn looked down at her wrist for a moment before looking back at Helen, this was a question she had expected but did not want to answer. Kathryn had known since she was a little girl that she was special, her ability to remember things in the smallest of detail was far greater than either of her parents combined but on occasion it scared her. But as she had got older she had turned this unique ability into an advantage, her love for learning meant she could go anywhere or do anything but it wasn’t the problem.

Even back at Oxford Helen had wanted to perform tests to see how far Kathryn could really stretch her mind but she had always said no. Her belief had been quite simple, she was her friend not a test subject and she never wanted that line to be crossed. But time does many things to a person and now with Helen asking again, Kathryn decided to agree.

“Helen I am more than happy for you to perform some tests like you wanted to back at Oxford but that isn’t how I look no older than 33....”

Kathryn trailed off as her mind went back to the night she wished had never happened. The surgery had been a nightmare and in hindsight Helen’s offer to perform the procedure may have changed her path completely had she accepted. She breathed a heavy sigh it was time Helen knew everything.

“You remember the surgery I had in Paris about a month before we had that argument? Well I didn’t tell you everything. I had no idea of course at the time and if I had known then maybe things would have been different. I heard rumours about a man in Paris who was willing to perform surgeries that other doctors wouldn’t touch and I thought that this man would be my only hope. I didn’t come to you Helen because I didn’t want you to see me as your patient, I am a proud person I know but that was something I just couldn’t take”

Kathryn stopped as she wiped the tears that began to fall. She saw the look on Helen’s face total concern at the events she was hearing. Kathryn composed herself and continued.

“When I arrived in Paris I met the surgeon and he agreed for a huge fee to perform the replacement, it was done quickly and without fuss but what did strike me as odd was the rapid healing time, because I was off to Mongolia less than 5 days later. It wasn’t until after I arrived in Praxis that I learned the truth about what happened, I discovered that the surgeon had a reputation for destroying lives, it was Dr Jacque Cristo.”

Kathryn saw Helen’s face change dramatically from concern to pure horror; Kathryn knew straight away that Helen had run into him, which made this all the more difficult to explain.

“Yes Helen I know, the famous body snatcher of the 1900s who would be eventually hanged for 15 murders. I had no idea who he was at the time and I had no idea that he wasn’t just stealing parts from humans; he was taking from abnormals too. So the knee I received has slowly fused with my own internal structure turning me into a hybrid, my own stupidity caused this to happen. Rana though gave me an option, some experimental medicine they were working on could slow my abnormality but it may have side effects. And I did get one, the medicine slowed my ageing to the point that it’s nearly stopped, at least I think so”

Tears began to fall from Kathryn’s face once again but this time they didn’t stop. She could only manage one more sentence before her crying began uncontrollable and all the pain had come back.

“Please help me Helen”

[DR HELEN MAGNUS]

Helen tilted her head briefly to one side, ”I realise we both got off on the wrong foot at our last encounter. And for that, I am deeply sorry. You don’t have to accept my offer, Kathryn, but I do want to help you. In any way that I can.”

Helen watched and listened intently as the woman continued to tell her story. All she could really do was sit there, azure eyes glistening; and offer as much support as she could. The reasons for her actions were her own. She knew Kathryn was stubborn, so no matter what she had suggested back in the glorious days of Oxford, she was on her own. ”I am not upset that you did not allow me to help you sooner. Your choices, were your own. I only wished that you were able to confide in me about this, much sooner.” Helen’s eyes seemed saddened. What had destroyed that level of trust? Was it Helen’s persistence on finding out more about the Abnormality? Or perhaps when Helen was willing to help her as a patient, and not quite as a friend. Helen was never much the social type. Most of the time, Helen kept to herself hiding within the confined walls of the labs. Especially at Oxford. How she even befriended anyone, was beyond her. She was glad that the Five stuck by her from the very day they met at Oxford, until their dying day.

Helen watched as salty tears fell down the woman’s face. Reaching beside her on the bedside table, she grabbed the box of tissues, and offered them up to Kathryn. Without another word, Helen nodded to the woman, to continue her recount.

Helen shook her head, somewhat oblivious to the words that came out of Kathryn’s mouth. Her lips twisted in shock, and her expression aghast. The surgeon! Helen knew what a menace the man was. Dr Jacque Cristo was only in it for the money. Noted, the man had degrees in medical science, however he misused his talents in order to destroy his patients. She and the rest of the Five have been trying to track him for years, but with no avail. Of course, given the past troubles with Adam Worth, Dr Christo was the least of their worries. ”Oh Kathryn, I know you are brilliant, but why so foolish? If you had confided in me as a friend, not just a mere colleague, I could have warned you about this. What made you think you could not trust me?“

In a sense, Helen was hurt. Had Helen become so consumed in her work, that she put her research before her dear friends? Was she really that cold? No wonder the woman did not want to trust her with a secret such as this. But there was no changing the past.

Helen looked away from Kathryn. Too many thoughts and questions ran through her head. Despite their past differences, she could not bear to turn this woman away. She needed Helen’s help. Her expertise. Looking back at the woman with sympathy, and a small smile, she continued, ”I will do anything and everything in my power to help you, Kathryn. I would never turn away someone in need. You have my word.”

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[DR KATHRYN LAWSON]

As Kathryn tried to compose herself she saw Helen through her blurry eyes trying to comprehend everything that she had heard. She could see the mixture of feelings come across Helen’s face and none were truly what she had hoped for. But in all of this Kathryn felt somewhat relieved having held onto this secret for close to a century she thought that she would be stuck with it forever, it was almost as if a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders and now finally at the very least she had a chance to move forward and get on with her life.

Kathryn thought for a moment hearing Helen’s words. Had she really been that foolish? Probably, her own self belief that anyone in the medical profession was there for the right reasons had been misplaced, she realised now there are plenty out there only interested in financial gain. Trust though was never an issue in Kathryn’s mind, her trust in Helen has never wavered or faltered in her mind it was something else altogether.

“Helen, I always trusted you. You’re the finest doctor I have ever seen, and even after spending so long in Hollow Earth I can clearly say your knowledge is far superior to many who were down there. After the incident happened I honestly thought about going back to London, I had this feeling that something wasn’t right. I know I wasn’t a trained doctor then but even so I knew that no-one should be able to heal from such a significant injury in less than a week”

Kathryn looked at Helen now calm and composed. She had not felt this calm in many years maybe it really was the change in setting.

“The reason I didn’t come back was because I wasn’t stubborn really, it was because I was genuinely afraid of you reaction. After leaving Paris I honestly felt like I betrayed you and I couldn’t face you, I just didn’t think it would take so long for me to say this. I am truly sorry”

Her thoughts went back to her own abnormality and now that she was no longer taking that medication it was time for her to learn more.

“Helen I am serious when I say this, for too long I felt like what was happening to me was being hidden in Hollow Earth. Help me learn and understand what I am now and what I shall be able to do.”

[DR HELEN MAGNUS]

”You are safe here within the Sanctuary now, Kathryn, and you will always be welcome here. I assure you. I have diagnosed and aided many Abnormals who - even themselves - could not come to terms with their unique abilities and physiology. I will get to the bottom of this.”

In the span of a century, Helen had dedicated her remaining life to protecting and unmasking the incredible abilities of creatures all around the world. Whether they were humanoid or reptilian in appearance, they were always welcomed with open arms at the Sanctuary, under the careful care from Helen herself. She always made sure that each being was attended to, and received not only the most appropriate guidance and diagnosis, but also for emotional support. Many Abnormals even came to know her as a mother figure, rather than a doctor or a leader. After all, she was only human. Despite long years of dedication to the studies of all things unique, she came to appreciate every individual as a dear friend. She cared for them to the best of their abilities, and that will never change, even to her last dying breath. Helen had always put the needs of others before her own, even if that means she will be awake for days without rest, to uncovering the secrets of the unique.

They will always be in her utmost and delicate care.

Helen offered the woman a gentle, reassuring smile, ”Forgive me for my curiosity, but how is it that you came to know about the Sanctuary? Time can be rather unforgiving. I had it mind that I created the Sanctuary shortly after your disappearance. I could be wrong. Much has happened since you left.”

Helen offered the woman a sympathetic nod, ”You have no need to apologise. Even since my harsh judgement, your decision was your own. I suppose neither of us anticipated what was to happen in Mongolia.”

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[DR KATHRYN LAWSON]

“Thank you Helen. I guess I am not used to people wanting to help me even after I have asked for it. For a very long time I have had to go it alone I guess you could say. But I must say this Helen, everything I have ever known and everyone I have ever loved....

Suddenly the words became hard to find, just the thought of her husband reached at her very soul. Even after 45 years of loneliness having to watch her husband die in front of her eyes still tore her apart inside, time had healed nothing.

“.....What I am trying to say is Helen, I spent most of my life living in the halls of the Praxis libraries learning about the residents and knowing how to treat them and aid in their survival. I know...no wait...I want to help the people here. I know you could use my help, you are clearly run off your feet and with myself around you may be able to stop and think in the middle of this mayhem”

She could clearly see that Helen was thinking about what she was offering. Kathryn tired not to see arrogant but she knew that she could be of great help in the fight, and eventually help take down Adam worth.

“I have no-where else to go Helen, I have nothing. You are the only person that has ever meant anything to me that’s left”

Kathryn stopped and listened, she had wondered when this question would come up. She rubbed her temple worried that what she was about to say could come out wrong but she knew she had no choice.

“About 15 or so years after I arrived in Hollow Earth I began to hear rumours of a place on the surface called the Sanctuary. Supposedly it was a place that was willing to help abnormals in a time of crisis. I didn’t think anything of it after that because I had no evidence to show it actually existed, it wasn’t until another 30 or so years later when I met a man who was also originally from the surface who told me things that could only be possibly know had they been there themselves. After that we began to work together and he was the one who helped train me in medicine. He was like a father to me and it’s thanks to him that I knew where to go when something like this happened.”

“I knew your father Helen, I knew Gregory, he saved my life”

[DR HELEN MAGNUS]

Helen sighed quietly, as tiredness washed over her stern features. It was almost as if the last one-hundred years were finally catching up with her. You would never realise it on a day-to-day basis. But when Helen finally encountered an old friend from that far into her past, then she finally started to realise how old she really was. It was never in the physical sense, however. More so of the wise mentality. An old soul yearning for knowledge, as much as her mind can reach.

A warm smile finally etched its way across her rosey cheeks. Helen eye’s gleamed with eagerness to learn more about Kathryn, and how she lived her life in Praxis, ”With the current crisis at hand, your help will be graciously appreciated. Though it is a dangerous time, as you must be aware. There has already been far too much bloodshed.”

Helen closed her eyes briefly. She realised she hadn’t slept hardly at all within the last few days. The amount of injured and homeless Abnormals which arrived at the Sanctuary gates, were almost endless. Even the great Helen Magnus had some difficulty keeping order. Trying to calm them in this crisis, were one of her top priorities. Both residents of Praxis and Earth itself, were distraught.

Adam Worth had destroyed many lives. And Helen had felt the guilt like the world rested on her shoulders. This was all her fault.

She opened her eyes again, and looked at Kathryn’s beaten face, ”You will always find a home at the Sanctuary. Kathryn. I’m sure I still have a few vacant guest rooms left. Once you are well enough, I will get you settled in one of them.”

Helen listened once again as Kathryn mentioned her father. Honestly, she wasn’t all surprised. Even she knew her father would have sparked some interest in Kathryn, especially given her history with Helen. But as soon as she heard word of the explosion in Praxis, her and John rushed to the scene, only to find the beautiful city in ruins. Rummaging through the rubble, John had found a walking stick. Her father’s walking stick. John had immediately thought the worst; however Helen was more than determined to prove him wrong. Her eyes widened at the thought. ”You knew my father? Do you know what happened to him when the explosion rattled Praxis? Please, I need to know! Anything.”

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