A/N: Random idea I had; basically Christine wins a free holiday to the Caribbean for two and asks Nikki to go with her...but there's a few twists and surprises in store. Please leave a review if you'd like to read more.

~Mini Peacelet~

Part One

Nikki was curled up on the leather sofa, engulfed in concentration as she allowed her favourite book to absorb her once again. The Catcher in the Rye. She could practically recite the entire book, but nothing came faintly adjacent to her love for repeatedly reading the story, turning each page with excitement. It was the first text she had ever taught as a freshly qualified teacher. And the print currently in her grasp was her original replica, tattered and frayed. She couldn't command herself to dispose of the shabby duplicate though, it embraced several memories. The brunette flicked the page, inhaling the rich yet old scent that fused to the minute particles of each individual page. With every time she completed the book, she discovered more and more tiny details that just made her adoration for the novel expand.

Her free hand clasped the ceramic handle of a mug of steamy coffee, assisting it in balancing on the sofa arm so it's contents remained contained. A fluffy blanket in a unique shade of pale blue concealed her. Night had approached rapidly, darkness imbibing any traces of natural light. The lounge had a dusky atmosphere but it was warm and cosy, lamps glowing subtly, supplying adequate light.

Christine ambled into the lounge beaming zealously with some news that she considered exciting to grace Nikki with. She dodged the cluttered piles of student workbooks that scattered and adorned the wooden floor for marking, both herself and the brunette had abandoned them incomplete. The blonde was equally nervous to inform the younger female, unsure of her reaction for when the full extent of things were properly explained.

Nikki and Christine had moved into a spacious two-bedroomed apartment located on the sea-front of Greenock, sharing as 'house mates'. Initially, Nikki had moved in with her fiancée, Vix. With two substantial incomes, affording the mortgage hadn't really been an issue until the brunette had screwed their relationship up completely, resulting in Vix departing and relocating to Germany. At the time, Christine had been conflicting with her continuous battle against alcohol, relapsing subsequently to Connor leaving for London. Unable to live alone, Nikki had offered for her to move in with her. The brunette desired some company - perhaps it was a helpful distraction - and it solved her financial problems so she didn't loose her property.

The blonde perched on the sofa beside Nikki, observing as she raised the pottery mug to her lips and ingested a sip of the hot liquid. She often mirrored Nikki's actions on the other sofa, except she indulged in To Kill A Mocking Bird instead. As a fellow English teacher, she was one of a handful of few people who understood the love for a treasured book that was in such a shabby and threadbare condition; several of the pages weren't even connected to the spine of the book anymore, the only savour being the page numbers to some degree along with her memory.

"I have something to tell you," Christine's Scottish accent was thick and masked the edgy tone to her voice skilfully. Her chocolate orbs perceived Nikki as she mentally noted the page and closed the book, depositing it on the table and elevating her brew to near her lips.

Nikki tilted her head to the side marginally, cornflower-blue eyes sparkling like freshly polished diamonds as they gazed at Christine, intrigued and to some extent anxious at contrasting rates as she patiently waited for a response, "Yeah?"

"I've won a holiday to the Caribbean," Christine smiled at the thought of relaxing on the white sand beaches, swimming in the turquoise waters and the beautiful sceneries, "It's for two people...but..." She paused.

The brunette consumed a mouthful of coffee, the journey of the beverage slow from her mouth to her throat as she pondered over the compromise that would follow the suspension. Dubious, from what she'd experienced - not personal - these free holidays that people attained often had hidden costs. "But what?" She inquired. Although the sound of a free holiday in an exotic location was appealing and thrilling.

Christine fiddled with a lose thread on her jumper, vaguely glancing at the other female before articulating again after inhaling a sharp breath, "It's a resort that focuses on gay and lesbian trade. It's currently lesbian clientele season...I don't know anyone else that would be interested in accompanying me, so would you like to?" She basked the silence momentarily, Nikki showing no initial counter, "And..."

Nikki hadn't anticipated that response, always assuming that Christine was straight but she wasn't one to judge on sexuality, especially considering her own and the mistakes she had encountered, "Of course I will if that's what you'd want. I'd love to," Who wouldn't turn down a free holiday? She narrowed her orbs slightly at another pause, clueless at what was coming next.

"It's a honeymoon suite," Christine announced swiftly before she managed to convince herself otherwise. She desperately searched for any indications to Nikki's reaction; an expression, anything.

The brunette choked on the coffee she had just ingested, coughing and spluttering violently. Speechless and dumbstruck. Had she really heard that correctly? A honeymoon suite? They weren't even together let alone married! "What?!" That was the only word she could successfully stuttered as she allowed the statement to process.