In My Wildest Dreams: Okay, here is a little treat for you lovely SW fans It will be short snippets based on times in the show when Harry and Nikki could have/would have/ should have got together!
Disclaimer: I do not own anything! (Unfortunately – my dreams however are all mine :P) They will all contain bits of the BBC material so I credit it all completely to them now.
Happy Reading!
Chapter One: Cargo: The Best Bed in the World
An exhausted Nikki Alexander drowsily pushed the play button on her answering machine. She ran her hands through her hair, trying to freshen up after spending the night on the office sofa and as Harry's voice filled the empty office demanding to know where she was Ashford came through the doors to the offices and she shut off the machine.
As Ashford left, Harry turned up to work, for once earlier than Leo. He looked at Nikki and frowned as he saw how dishevelled she looked.
"You didn't sleep here, did you?" he asked, boiling the kettle for coffee. There was no reply so he placed an extra strong mug in front of Nikki. "Please don't. You've got a perfectly good bed at home. Or so everybody says," he added as an afterthought. There was a twinkle in his eye however and Nikki lifted her eyes to his and they both smiled.
The coffee seemed to perk Nikki up just by a small sip and the particles passing through her nose. She couldn't resist. "Everybody says," she said teasingly. "But not quite everybody knows!"
Harry tried not to think about it. "No, everybody knows," he said and got up to go down to the morgue. "You tart!" he mumbled just loud enough as he walked away.
Nikki jumped up and grabbed him by the elbow. "You idiot," was the best she could come back with.
Harry grabbed her face with both hands and trapped it tight so she couldn't move. With both their mouths twitching with trying to suppress smiles, they held a silent staring competition until Leo banged through the doors. Harry let Nikki go and she flopped back down in her seat, the one sip of coffee she'd had already wearing off.
"Morning children!" called Leo on his way into his office. Harry nodded at him. "Someone's late today!" he said. Leo just shook his head and closed his door, leaving Harry and Nikki in semi-privacy again.
Harry sat down at his desk and looked at Nikki."You okay, Nikki?" he asked.
"I'm fine," said Nikki. "I'm just tired." She ran her hands through her hair again, which didn't go unnoticed by Harry. He was about to utter words of jovial sympathy when she opened her mouth in a sudden spurt of energy. "God Harry, how can they be so cruel? I know that child's alive, I know it, yet Ashford's barking up some strange tree where there's not enough resources to save one innocent child, and here I am just sitting around, not even able to work because I'm feeling so helpless for Ying! I'm pathetic!"
Harry hated seeing Nikki get this worked up. She was so passionate about every life, and he loved it about her. But now it was affecting her personally, not just professionally, and as a friend he had to step in.
"Come on, Nikki," he said crouching down beside her and putting a hand on her arm. "You're not thinking straight. You need to go home and get some sleep in that lovely bed of yours. Go on, I'll handle Leo."
Nikki looked at him sideways. "I'm not driving in this state, Harry. I'll be fine, I just need caffeine." She took a sip of her coffee and spat it out again on the realisation that it was now cold.
"Nonsense," said Harry pulling her up. "Get your coat, I'll drive you. Just give me a minute to sort Leo." And with that he strode across the office and into Leo's office.
Nikki hardly said anything on the journey and by the time Harry pulled up outside her flat she was nearly asleep.
Harry gently shook her arm. "Come on Sleeping Beauty, go on up to bed."
"Yes mum," said Nikki. She started to get out of the door and frowned when she realised Harry was also standing on the pavement. "You going somewhere?"
"Yup. Inside with you," said Harry grinning. "I want to see the famous bed." He gave her a cheeky wink and Nikki had to smile.
As Nikki was shrugging her coat off in the hallway, Harry's phone rang. "Harry Cunningham," he answered. Nikki couldn't stand any more so padded down the hall and just managed to shed her shoes before flopping back onto the bed and closing her eyes.
She could hear Harry's voice and it sounded serious. She tried to listen but was too tired and dropped off quickly before she could work out who harry was talking to.
She awoke nearly two hours later by the sound of Harry tripping over his feet as he wandered around, doing something or other in her living room. She smiled. Typical Harry.
"Harry?" she called, sliding a finger along under her eyes to remove any make up stains. "You still here?"
"Yes and no," replied Harry. "My being is present, however my mind is elsewhere due to a thoroughly stubbed toe."
He poked his head around her door. "Good sleep?"
Nikki nodded. "Thanks Harry." There was a pause as he walked over the threshold. Nikki frowned. "Who were you talking to on the phone before I fell asleep?" she asked.
Harry smiled irritatingly. "That's for me to know and for you to... not know!" he said mysteriously. Nikki got up menacingly and made a sudden move. It was a few seconds before Harry realised she had rugby tackled him to the bed and was about to dig her fingers into his ribs. "Please no!" he cried. "Anything but the tickling!"
Nikki grinned and shook her head. "You'd better tell me who was on the phone," she grinned slyly, tossing her hair back out of her face. Harry wouldn't so she began to wiggle her fingers threateningly.
"Okay, okay!" groaned Harry, giggling while in protest. "You win! It was Helen Radley, the DCI I've been in the sewers with. Apparently they found a spare head and a spare torso so there's only the limbs to find now. She still thinks they're connected to your boat wreck though."
Nikki stopped tickling him and surveyed him through her large brown eyes. Harry shifted under her gaze. "What?" he asked after a moment. He suddenly realised that Nikki was straddling him on her bed and licked his lips nervously. "So this was what you had planned all along?"
Nikki rolled her eyes. "Of course not." She shrugged her shoulders slightly. "But you know you love it."
"Too right," said Harry quickly. In one fluid movement he pulled her head down to his level and kissed her hard. She responded for a minute until their lips separated then Harry realised what he'd done. He looked her in the eye silently, questioning her. Nikki smiled and kissed him again and he stroked her back softly.
Things began to heat up and Nikki was down to her underwear when she stopped and looked at Harry. He looked back at her with a new glint in his eye. "You're right," he said seriously. "This is a perfectly good bed." Nikki nodded slowly, a smile forming. "If you're going to be in here though you need to do it properly," she said smugly and quickly pushed his shirt off, the buttons already undone. Harry covered her mouth with his own. "Nikki," he mumbled. "Nikki...!"
Nikki woke with a start at Harry's persistent shaking. "Harry?" she said gasping, acutely aware of what she'd just been dreaming. Harry's face showed no sign of comprehension though. She sighed in disappointment. "How long have I been asleep?"
Harry looked at his watch. "About 5 hours?" he said. "It's a quarter to 5. I didn't want to wake you so I went out to get a pizza. Thought you'd be awake when I got back but it seems not!" He grinned. "All the more for me!"
Nikki punched him lightly. "You wish, Harry. Give me the pizza! You cooked it in my oven after all!"
"Ah, but who said there was any left?"
"I can smell it Harry, and you wouldn't dare!"
Harry laughed. "You're too good." He held out his hand and together they padded into the kitchen to the freshly baked, still complete pizza. Nikki's mind was still reeling from her dream and every one of Harry's movements made her think for a second if he knew.
And Harry could never, ever know.
A/N: well, I think it could have been better but I thought a tamer one was more appropriate to start with... hope you enjoyed, keep reading!