I smiled as I ran the paintbrush over the canvas in front of me, my mind was set on this one piece as it always was when I painted or drew. I glanced up at my subject and gave them a small smile before looking back at the canvas and adding another line of colour to my already colourful work. I sighed in delight as I leant back against the chair and folded my arms observing the finished canvas before me. Nodding to myself I then reached for the rag of material next to the easel and ran my paintbrushes through the already dirty material to try and get the excess paint off before placing them in a cup of white spirit to wash them even more. Standing up I then walked over to the subject of my most recent painting and leant forward so I was inches from their eyes.

"All finished" I whispered and smiled at them.

------

"What are your plans for the weekend?" Harry asked Nikki as they both walked through the car park towards their respective cars after their shift on a Friday evening "Meeting any unsuitable men?" he tried not to sound bitter when he said this and knew he had succeeded when Nikki turned to him and smiled.

"Not this weekend no" she shook her head "I did last weekend though"

Harry chuckled when he heard this, they had spend the previous Saturday together at another air show, this time actually getting back to their homes safely without any more helicopter crashes. Harry leant back against his car and crossed his arms over his chest as he observed Nikki leaning on her own car.

"We can spend it together" he shrugged, trying to sound noncommittal when he said this "I enjoyed last weekend"

"So did I" Nikki replied and gave him a smile which made his heart do a happy jump in his chest "What do you have in mind?"

"Cinema?" Harry suggested and started to fiddle nervously with his car keys, he was never this nervous when asking other women out 'Wait' he thought 'It's not a date' 'Unfortunately' another part of his mind whispered "You said you haven't been in a while and there's a few good films on at the moment and well..."

"I'd like that" Nikki nodded and unlocked her car before opening the door and turning back to Harry "I'll get in touch with the details"

"Okay" Harry nodded "See you soon"

Nikki gave him another nod and climbed into her car before backing out of her parking space and driving off after giving Harry a wave. Harry then let out a long breath and unlocked his own car, this would be two weekends in a row he had spent with Nikki, that was dangerously close to having some sort of social life. He had to remind himself however that they were only going out as friends, there was, and would be, nothing going on between them.

------

"Come on Harry it's Nikki for crying out loud" Harry muttered to himself as he ran his hand through his hair making it stand up at odd angles "She doesn't care what you wear as long as you don't turn up naked...now there's a thought" he chuckled to himself and shook his head as the doorbell rang. He felt like he was going on his first date, his mind hadn't caught up with the fact that it wasn't even a date. Harry ran his hand through his hair once again as he walked out of his bedroom and down the stairs and grinned as he opened the door to Nikki. His throat when dry when he saw what she was wearing, a red blouse that highlighted her frame perfectly, a knee length straight black skirt, black tights and black heeled shoes.

"Hi" he croaked out and cleared his throat as he opened the door further and allowed Nikki to enter his house, as she walked past she greeted him and gave him the smile that made him melt and when she had gone into the living room he closed the door behind her and leant his forehead on the cool wood and groaned. How he was going to get through the whole day without doing anything he would regret he didn't know, but he knew he had to.

His home phone suddenly rang and he walked into the living room to answer it stealing a sneaky glance at Nikki as he did so.

"Hello?"

"Harry it's Leo" came Leo's voice down the phone and Harry bit back a groan as he knew what was coming "You couldn't come in could you?"

Harry sighed loudly and ran one hand over his face as Nikki turned to him and mouthed 'what?'. 'Leo' he mouthed back and Nikki slumped slightly and sighed.

"I..um..." he looked to Nikki who just nodded and he could have killed Leo at that moment when he saw the disappointment in Nikki's eyes "Yeah okay"

"Good" Leo replied, he seemed oblivious that he had just interrupted something "I'm asking Nikki to come in as well, I think you'll like this case"

Half term next week! Whoo! XD So I will be able to get on with writing this fanfic.

xxx