TAKING AND GIVING

SPOILERS: Not really, some hints to Dr. Helm's past but nothing too revealing.

NOTES: This story turned out to have WAY more plot then I had originally intended. It's sort of an action/adventure storyline. There are just hints of Queen(Tessa)/Helm thrown in for good measure. If the feedback is positive, there will most likely be a sequel!

~~~~~

The night wind was unusually bold as it pushed against the closed window causing the inside glass to rattle. This disturbance into the otherwise silent dimly lit parlor did little to distract the sole occupant, as he remained immersed in the yellowing volume of lore that currently held his complete attention. A small smile would occasionally steal across thin lips as the town's only physician allowed himself this momentary reprieve into the realm of fantasy and far-away adventure that the writer had gifted.

Indeed, the entire night had been a quiet one, with only a few bumps and scratches to draw him business. Now, with only the rattling windows and a well-worn book as company, Dr. Helm allowed himself to relax into the comfort of fanciful adventures that were safer and far less bruise-inducing then the very real ones that he had been mostly unwillingly pulled into since his arrival into the town of Santa Helena months before. If truth be told, the doctor was half-afraid to raise his hazel gold eyes from the volume balanced on his propped knee, housing an irrational fear that the smug smile from a certain masked and ever-troublesome lady would be there to great him. And anyone brave enough to seek further truth from this seemingly peaceful scene would also discover that this fear was coupled with an unshakable element of anticipation.

But that was neither here nor there since there wasn't a thing in the world that would ever get Robert Helm to admit this; not even to himself.

Satisfied that fate was content to let him be, at least on this windy night, the doctor allowed his fears to ease completely away, and without lifting his eyes from the words before him, reached out with a fair and surprisingly elegant hand to grasp the cup of cool water waiting for him on the table top.

It was at the moment that the sound of the explosion ripped into the windy night.

The doctor was out of his chair before the walls of his parlor stopped shaking. The sounds of fear and confusion were already rich in the street as frightened bystanders race around; some seeking shelter while others braver or more foolish, ran to see the source of the violent disturbance. Dr. Helm ran with the latter group after pausing only long enough to grab his always packed medical bag from beside his door. He ran not with curiosity, but with the grim knowledge that with explosions such as the one that tore him from his much deserved evening of peaceful reading, that there was sure to be victims in it's wake.

The scent of burning destruction was potent on the tips of the powerful night air as the doctor hurried towards the angry orange glow climbing towards the evening's stars. His pace quickened as his fears were confirmed; the building that was the focus of destruction was the town's dingy but all too often necessary jailhouse. Soldiers were milling about in a panicked frenzy as they searched through the still burning debris for fallen comrades. The building was ablaze, and the sounds of fearful screams were audible inside the ruined walls. No doubt that many of these screams belonged to the prisoners; locked helplessly away as their cells burn around them.

Dr. Helm paid little head to the hope that the milling soldiers would help the imprisoned men still trapped inside. It was obvious that they were more concerned with the injuries of their fellow soldiers, and experience with this particular troop's mentality left him little faith that the cries of the frightened prisoners would propel them to risk their own lives to save them before they got there own men out of harm's way. Unfortunately, by that time it would be too late for many of the men trapped inside.

Firmly fixed in the belief that each life was just as valuable as the next, Dr. Helm did not waste any time heading towards those terrified cries within the burning structure. Behind him, he could dimly hear his name being called out by Montoya, but he let nothing deter him from his mission. Dropping the medical bag in the hope that he would be alive long enough to use it, he raised his arm to shield his face and eyes from the stinging smoke and unforgiving heat of the flames. He entered the ruined building and headed towards the holding cells. The east wall was completely blown open, allowing the strong wind gusts entrance to rapidly spread the deadly fire throughout the jail. In desperation, Dr. Helm scanned for the keys that would free the trapped men. Luck, as fickle as she all to often was with him, chose this night to be generous as he quickly located the metal keys.

Now beginning to choke on the dense smoke swirling throughout the interior, the doctor rushed towards the panicked screams. One by one he unlocked the cells where the men were being held, and the now freed prisoners wasted no time rushing out of the burning jail. Dr. Helm fought back increasing dizziness and blurred vision as the deadly smoke rose up to claim him. Determination kept him going - he would not stop until every last man is freed, or he would surrender his own life in forfeit.

Finally, he reached the final locked cage door. As the door swung open, the large panicked man inside barreled straight into his savior in a terrified scramble to escape. The doctor felt himself being flung backwards, but he was too weakened at this point to gather his balance. His head contacted sharply with the hard floor, and then there was nothing more he could see.

~~~~~

The first thing that he became aware of was a cool hand pressing lightly to the forehead of his aching head. Dimly, he could hear voices around him spoken in whispers too light for him to hear clearly in his current state. The small moan that he could not contain escaped through his chapped lips and appeared to grab the owners of the voices attention, as the whispers came to an immediate stop.

"Doctor?" came a soft feminine voice from his right.

He felt pressure in his right hand, and knew that is must be the mate to the one still resting softly on his forehead.

"Don't make him talk, Tessa. He's still very weak." came a new voice.

He felt his head being lifted and a glass of cool water being pressed against his dry lips.

"Try and drink, doctor. It will make you feel better." The first voice encouraged.

Willing his aching throat muscles to comply, he slowly drank down the welcomed coolness. He immediately tasted a slightly bitter tang within the refreshing water, and knew that there was some sort of medicine mixed in. His head was gently lowered back to the soft pillow. Sleep began once again to call to him, and the last thing he felt before his dreams was a soft hand caressing his brow.

The next time he woke, he still felt an ache but it had dimmed considerably. He blinked his unaccustomed eyes against the bright and steady rays of day that filled the room. Once he was able to focus, he saw that he was laying on a cot in the back of his own office. Looking around, he saw others who must have been injured during the explosion. He started to rise until a sharp accented voice froze him in place.

"And just where do you think you are going, doctor?"

He turned to see the gypsy woman, Marta, coming towards him with a distinct look of disapproval on her face. The relief evident in her darkly mysterious eyes softened this look, however. With a gentle yet firm nudge, she quickly and efficiently pushed him back onto the cot.

"I appreciate your concern, Senora," he began his argument," but I really am feeling much better."

"You are lucky to be feeling anything at all! You are fortunate that the Queen of Swords came along when she did, or you wouldn't have escaped so easily with just a bump on the head."

"The Queen got me out?" he questioned while reaching around to feel the size of the raised bump on the back of his head, "I should have guessed."

Marta shot him a quick look that made him wince for reasons other then knot hidden by his thick dark hair. He cursed the note of pleased satisfaction that she must have heard in his remark.

"Dr. Helm! So good to see you among the living once again."

Robert turned towards the approaching voice of Colonel Luis Montoya. The colonel nodded briefly towards Marta before focusing his attention towards the doctor.

"You are feeling better, I hope?"

"If by better then you mean conscious, then yes, I would have to agree." he returned.

He had not meant to answer with sarcasm, but he had a difficult time keeping his tongue around the colonel even when he was in peak health. The colonel responded to the retort with only a raised brow and a small laugh.

"Good, good. We shall all be very pleased to have our doctor back with us doing what he does so well, caring for the sick and injured. A difficult thing that can be, however, when the doctor finds himself counted among those in need of care."

Dr. Helm made himself swallow the sigh that rose and forced his eyes not to roll. It was evident where Montoya's speech was leading.

"I saw you running into the jail. A noble gesture, to be sure, but you must realize that our town cannot risk losing our only doctor in such a way. In the future, dear doctor, it would be best for us all if you allowed the soldiers to do their jobs. That is, after all, why we pay them. Is it not?"

"I was merely trying to help-," he began to explain.

"Of course you were! However, the best way for a doctor to help his people is to provide them with medical care. It is why we pay you. Is it not?"

Before he had a chance to answer, a new voice broke through.

"Dr. Helm! You are awake! We were all so worried about you."

Tessa Alvarado glided more then walked across the room towards him with a bright smile on her pretty face.

"I heard all about what you did! You are so brave to risk your life like that for all of those criminals! If it wasn't for the Queen of Swords, you would have been lost to us." she finished with a concerned pout executed perfectly on her full lips.

Robert didn't miss the tightening of the colonel's features at the mention of the queen. The doctor jumped on the change of subject.

"So I've heard. It is a shame I didn't get the chance to thank her."

"I wouldn't be so quick to sing her praises. After all, we have not yet ruled out the possibility that she was the one who rigged the explosion," the colonel cut in.

"What reason would she have to do that?" the doctor asked incredulously.

"No doubt to free her allies in prison. Criminals do tend to stick together."

Robert shook his head in exasperation, but the small movement reminded him of the pain of his injury. Marta, seeing his wince of pain spoke up.

"Excuse me, but I think the doctor still needs to rest. Perhaps we should leave him to it."

"Of course, you are right, Senora. We shall finish this discussion when you are feeling better, doctor." he finished with a small polite bow that made robert want to punch him.

A lot of things the colonel did had that effect on the doctor.

"I can hardly wait." Robert muttered under his breath to his retreating form.

"You poor man! I just feel terrible that you are suffering so."

The doctor shifted his eyes back to Tessa when she spoke. He had almost forgotten her presence.

"I appreciate your concern Senorita Alvarado, but I really am feeling much better."

"That's wonderful news. I certainly hope my servant is making you more comfortable."

With that he turned his attention towards Marta who was watching him silently. He gave her an appreciative smile.

"I suppose I have you to thank for that vile medicine that I drank earlier?" he said, with a glimmer in his eye that took any harshness from the question.

"A man who runs into a burning building should be able to handle a few herbs, I should think." she responded with equal mirth.

"Is that what that was? Well, it does seem to have done the trick. You'll have to let me in on your secret later."

"Perhaps." she answered with a mysterious smile.

"Besides the colonel's - suspicions - has there been any other information uncovered about the explosion?" he asked.

"Not that I've heard, doctor." Tessa chimed in, "Luckily, no one was killed! I'm certain the colonel is doing everything in his power to discover who is behind it. He has so much to worry about; with the explosion and his own house being broken into." she said with a concerned frown.

"There was a break-in?"

"Yes, the night of the explosion."

"A robbery?"

"As far as I know, nothing was taken. The colonel doesn't seem too worried about it, though."

Tessa's eyes widened, as if a sudden thought seemed to dawn on her.

"You don't suppose the two things are connected, do you?"

Dr. Helm didn't say anything. However, it did strike him as odd that the colonel would down play a break-in on his own property. Even if nothing was taken, such a violation on his personal property would be cause for someone to hang. He had the growing suspicion that there was a great deal more going on then just a case of random terrorism.

~~~~~

The next day he was improved enough to help tend to the other injured that were resting in his office. He moved under the watchful eye of Marta, who had been tending to the others caught in the explosion since he had been injured. Robert's actions were kept under close scrutiny of the gypsy woman, and he soon found that she wouldn't hesitate to scold him if she felt he was pushing himself too far. He would have felt more affronted to be treated in such a manner in his own medical office if he didn't like Marta as much as he did. A person would have to be blind or oblivious to miss the intelligence and sharpness masked behind subservience in her dark eyes, and Dr. Helm couldn't help but respect her for the manner in which she had been caring for the injured in his stead. He had never been one to believe in the myths that surrounded her people; preferring science to superstition. However, as long as she didn't start chanting or any such nonsense, he was more then happy to accept her aide and company.

The injuries treated were far fewer and less severe then had originally thought. Surprisingly, no prisoners were injured and there were only a few guards on duty at the time of the explosion. The doctor wanted more then anything to take a better look at the damage so he could discern the cause and method of the detonation, but he didn't rate his chances of escaping Marta's watch before she was ready to release him as very high.

Time for a little bit of creativity.

Just as he suspected, her voice reached out for him as soon as he approached the door.

"Going somewhere, doctor?"

He forced himself to bite down on the smile that threatened to break. She sounded so much like a disapproving mother that he was half expecting to be sent to his room for the stunt he was about to pull. He schooled his face into a rueful expression and turned to face her.

"I just need to step out for a moment. It appears I have been drinking a little too much of your medicine."

Her expression didn't change as she regarded him with sharp eyes.

She's not buying it, he thought in a slight panic. Patience, Helm. You've fooled trained intelligence officers, you can get past a suspicious gypsy.

Fearing he was going to lose his nerve if she continued to eye him like that, he shrugged his shoulders with a little blush, and made his exit.

Knowing that he didn't have too much time to pull this off, he headed straight for the jailhouse. The prisoners had all been rounded up and moved to a new, temporary, secure location until repairs were completed on the damaged structure. In the light of day, the damage looked far less ominous then when the flames had engulfed the walls. There were soldiers about, no doubt looking for clues amidst the burnt structure. Being discrete as possible, he rounded the building until he was next to the hole that had once served as the east wall. The blast had tore an almost perfect hole in the wall, the exactness making it unusual. One thing was certain, a lot more damage could have been rendered that night. Some may see that containment of the blast area as luck, the doctor saw it as a signature of expertise. The confinement of the explosion was done with precision and purpose. It was simply a matter of uncovering that purpose before anyone else could get hurt.

"Dr. Helm, you seem to be feeling much better today."

Robert cursed inwardly at the sound of Colonel Montoya's voice. He turned around as the soldier approached.

"As a matter of act, I am feeling much better. Your concern is appreciated."

"Not at all! I was just on my way to check up on my injured men when I saw you. I must tell you that you dedication to my troop is very admirable. After all, I assume that you are out here to offer some more of your 'help'. Perhaps, doctor, you should have considered a career as a soldier rather then a physician."

Dr. Helm let the comment go. If you only knew...

"Come now, perhaps we can finish the conversation we had begun yesterday..."

Robert could do little else but allow himself be led away from the ruined jailhouse. His irritation level was so high at the thought of the impending lecture, that he completely missed the stranger's eyes following their path.

~~~~~

Three days past before the next explosion.

This time, Robert had been torn from slumber as the crack of detonation interrupted the peaceful night. Quickly shrugging into his clothing, he grabbed his bag and raced from his quarters in a mimic of the night five moons ago. This time, he could see the leaping flames coming from the colonel's estate. Soldiers filled the courtyard in a frenzy to contain the spreading fire. Even from a distance, it was evident that this blast was at a much higher level then the one five nights ago. Water was being hurried in to douse the flames, and Dr. Helm scanned the crowd for injuries. Seeing no sign of heavy injury among the crowd, he looked around for the colonel. Montoya was dressed for sleep and standing among his soldiers watching the leap of orange angry flames across the walls of his residence. His expression was one of anger, to be sure, but it also held a grimness that seemed out of place among the chaos. Now more then ever, the doctor was certain that there was much more going on then was evident, and the colonel held the answers to this mystery himself.

There was now quite a large crowd gathering in the courtyard as the soldiers struggled to keep them back. Out of the corner of his eye, the doctor caught sight of an individual standing off to the side of the curious crowd. Years of training sent alarms to go off in Robert's head as he watched the stranger watch not the burning estate, but the colonel himself. Suddenly as if feeling eyes upon him, the stranger turned and began to disappear into the shadows of the surrounding buildings.

Instinct spurred him into action. As discretely as he could, he followed the stranger's retreat into the night's shadows. The section of town was oddly still since the majority of people had hurried to the sight of the destruction to the colonel's estate. Belatedly, the doctor considered the fact that he was following a man that he suspected of being responsible for two separate and destructive acts of terrorism without any sort of weapon. He may have given up the path of killing, but that didn't mean that he didn't want to defend himself if attacked. He considered going back; telling the colonel about his suspicions, but he wasn't sure that this opportunity would present itself again.

Any thoughts of turning back were halted as a deep voice called to him from the darkness.

"That's as far as you go. Put your hands up where I can see them, and turn around. Slowly."

With a deep sigh, Dr. Helm did what he was instructed. His captor not surprisingly held a gun pointed directly towards his head. The man wore a large worn hat that was pulled low even in the late hour of the night.

"Listen, I wasn't looking for any trouble. I was just on my way home." he tried.

"You don't live over here, doctor."

"Ah, well, silly me. I must be a little confused. I took a nasty blow to the head a couple of days ago, you know."

He was greeted with a low and slightly mad laugh that caused bumps to rise on Robert's fair skin.

"I didn't want to hurt anyone, you know. I just wanted to destroy the things that mattered to him, just like he destroyed everything that mattered to me. But you know what? I don't think he's getting it. He thinks I'm playing some sort of game. But this is no game. I want what is mine, and if I have to destroy everything he values to get it, then I'll do it."

The stranger paused in his speech. He peered at the doctor with coal eyes that swam with insanity before speaking again.

"Buildings can be rebuilt. But how long will it take to get a new doctor?"

He heard the click of the pistol as it was cocked, and closed his eyes waiting for the impending shot. It came, but hit the wall of the building behind him as the gun was knocked from his would-be-murderer's hand by the crack of a leather whip.

A sword was immediately drawn in its place as the stranger whirled to face the approaching Queen of Swords.

"We really need to stop meeting like this, doctor." she threw over her shoulder as she took stance to face her opponent.

"I'll be sure to take it of my to-do list." he replied as he watched the battle taking place before him.

The fight was quick and furious, as it was soon evident that the stranger was himself a skilled swordsman. For moments that felt like an eternity, Robert wasn't sure who would win the fight.

A new party quickly and unexpectedly decided it, as the sound of clashing steel was joined and silenced by the crack of gunfire. The stranger was thrown backwards with the impact of the bullet. Dr. Helm's eyes whipped around to see Colonel Montoya watching the dying man with a satisfied look on his face, the smoking gun still clutched in his hand.

For once, the colonel paid no attention to the Queen who was still standing to the side looking as shocked by the turn of events as Robert himself felt. Clearing his head, he looked at her imploringly with his hazel eyes to leave, hoping that she would make her exit before the colonel came back to himself and added a second shot into the now still air. With one last concerned look for the doctor, she turned and disappeared into the shadows.

With her gone, the doctor turned his attention to the dying man on the ground. Despite the fact that this same man had tried to kill him moments before, Robert Helm held fast to his vow to save all the lives that he could. He bent down to examine the damage, and one look told him that it was too late to stop what fate had planned for this man. Dark blood bubbled and oozed from the corners of his mouth as he drew in his final breaths. Suddenly, his eyes snapped open and burning orbs locked onto the colonel who was now standing behind Robert's shoulder.

"I'm not alone, Montoya. The others are coming, and we will take back what belongs to us, or you shall see everything you value destroyed!" and on that word the last of his life's breath left him.

The doctor lifted his hand to close the lifeless mad eyes of the man before him. He turned to look at the colonel who was now surrounded by soldiers drawn by the sound of gunfire.

"I don't suppose you have anything to say to that, colonel?" Dr. Helm asked in a weary voice.

"I don't respond to the ravings of madmen, Dr. Helm."

As Robert stood to allow the soldiers to tend to the body, the colonel approached him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"It appears the town and its people are in your debt for stopping this terrorist."

He paused, leaned in close, and dropped his voice to a whisper.

"Perhaps, it is best if you retire from your role of hero in this matter. We are a small town, it is true, but I'm willing to wage that it won't take that long to get a new doctor."

~~~~~

To Be Continued?

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