Rewrite of Helen/Nikki Scenes: Season 1 Episode 7

When Nikki and Helen got up that morning they both thought that it just be another day at the office. Helen and Sean were trying to make their relationship work and Nikki was trying to convince Helen that she wasn't as straight as she thought she was.

Sean had made yet another comment about Helen making a good mother and it made Helen think that Sean was pushing their relationship far too quickly. They weren't even married yet. He used that word... Normal. That word was like a safe word and it made Helen feel suffocated. It was going to be an interesting gardening talk it really was.

For Nikki the day started as usual. Classes and a talk with Monica. Trisha had clearly moved on and Monica's question about Nikki's parents had shaken her but Nikki knew that the relationship between parents and herself would never be repaired. Nikki's day got better when Bodybag informed her that she was moving up to the threes thanks to Helen. Nikki was trying to think of reasons as to why Helen would do this but none of them were coherent. It was getting late in the day before Nikki saw Helen to thank her

(Scene 1)

"Hiya" Helen was happy to see Nikki smiling and Nikki was just happy to see Helen. She owed Helen a lot and Nikki knew that

"Hi" Helen approaches Nikki "How you settling in?"

"Fine" Helen rests on the metal railings and smiles "Great view" There was a double meaning in that for Nikki. "Feels different being up here, officially" Helen was all too aware of Nikki's visits to Carol and their strong friendship.

"Nikki I'm sure I don't have to spell it out but being on enhanced does have its responsibilities you know that don't you?" Nikki knew it Helen was being serious and she knew what she had to do to keep Helen on side and in her line of sight

"Yep"

"I need to know I can trust you" Nikki felt a little disheartened by the idea that Helen didn't trust her after everything that they had already been through with Rachel's suicide and Nikki's breakup

"I promise to behave myself and say my prayers before I go to bed alright" Helen conceded that Nikki would keep to her word, at least that's what she hoped. She also knew that was Nikki's way of saying thank you "Look I'm not very good at this sort of thing but thanks" There was a look in Nikki's eyes that made Helen realise that Nikki was serious. There was a look that Helen wanted from Sean but never got "Thanks a lot"

"It's okay" Helen didn't realise that she had just given away her feelings and that made Nikki realise that Helen was trying to run from her emotions and what she was feeling.

(Scene 2)

The next day was Sean's talk and Helen didn't want them to be late. Nikki had no idea that the man giving the talk to her today was the man she was battling for Helen's emotions. This was going to be interested. After the talk, that was filled with Shell's inappropriate comments, Helen appears in the room

"Hiya Nikki"

"Hiya"

"So how did it go" Nikki still had no clue who Sean was but was about to find out

"It was hell." Helen glances at Nikki who smirked at Sean's comment. "I thought about using that panic button you mentioned" It was good to hear Helen laugh "Anyway home time and you're doing the cooking" The smile was Nikki's face falls to the floor. It suddenly all clicks into place. This was Helen's Sean. The man she was living with. Helen can see that Nikki had put all the pieces together. This was going to strain their relationship

"Sorry didn't Sean tell you? He's my partner" So this was the man that Nikki was fighting for Helen's love. This was going to be a hard fought battle or a very short, brief skirmish.

"Well you won't be calling me that much longer. She just asked me to marry her" Helen knew what this would do. This would destroy any chance of Helen retaining the tense and strained alliance that she had stuck up with Nikki. Helen looked tense and unhappy that Sean announced their engagement in such a fashion.

"So how did you enjoy the class Nikki?" It amazed Nikki how quickly Helen could change the subject

"Well... you learn something new every day" Nikki's heart was broken and Helen knew that this was it. Helen knew that Nikki's heart was broken and her trust along with it. She had to repair the damage.

(Scene 3)

Nikki retreated to the potting shed to take out her broken heart on the compost and flowers in there. Helen heads there for a reason she couldn't fathom or could she?

"Here comes the blushing bribe to be" Helen closes the door to the potting shed and sighs. Why was she here? To justify herself? To make Nikki understand? To help herself understand? "You kept that quiet didn't you?"

"Sean had just asked me to marry him. Not that it's any of your business actually" Nikki was confused as to why Helen was there. If she was so happy to be engaged then why would Helen come looking for her?

"Why you telling me then?"

"I really don't know but I certainly don't have to explain myself to you"

"Fine" Nikki couldn't believe Helen was so blind. Was the young Scot really so naïve?

"You know for some odd reason it seems to upset you that Sean and I are getting married"

"Odd reason? That's a good one" Helen was so naïve. God where had this young scot been all her life? Living in a nunnery?

"Nikki what the hell is this about?"

"You really don't know?"

"If I knew I wouldn't be asking you would I?"

"You wanna know what this is about? It's about this" Nikki pulls Helen to her and kisses her soundly. She could feel the young scot struggle against her before relaxing into the passionate embrace. Once she realises what she's doing Helen pulls away and looks at Nikki widen eyed

"Jesus Christ" Helen bolts from the potting shed and straight to her office. What the hell...

The rest of the day both Helen and Nikki were pondering the events of the popping shed. Nikki was terrified that Helen would go off on one and Helen was terrified of what she was feeling for Nikki.

(Scene 4)

"Can you bring me Nikki Wade please? Thank you" Helen had to get this sorted and sorted now. She couldn't do this.

Nikki is taken from the potting shed to her cell to get changed then to the governor's office. She was nervous as shit. She knew what Helen was going to say and it was going to be hard for her to hear.

Helen was pacing the floor, half way to wearing a hole in the carpet. She had reacted to that kiss and she knew it.

"Take a seat." Nikki looked scared. So very scared. There was nothing said as Nikki takes a seat. Helen had no idea how she was going to handle this. Once Helen had closed the door and made her way back to her desk Nikki speaks

"Look, I'm sorry. I was out of order." Helen was furious yet she wanted this and she wanted it badly but it had to stop.

"I- I don't care what you were, Nikki." There was that angry side of Helen that scared Nikki a little. It was understandable why she was so angry "You'll understand if I'm blunt. Now, I know that you're a lesbian and you're comfortable and so on with that. But I'm a heterosexual, and I'm going to get married very soon. I find your behavior inappropriate. You seem to want to go out of your way to make me feel uncomfortable." To Nikki it sounded like Helen was trying to persuade herself that she was straight. It was almost unbearable really.

"Why would I do that?" Nikki had no idea why Helen would think that. Nikki wasn't blind nor stupid.

"I like you, Nikki. I've encouraged you to do a degree. I've put you on Enhanced but everything that I have done for you I have done for professional reasons. Now, I can assure you that's the case."

"Fine. If you say so." Helen's heart sank at the dejected look on Nikki's face. Her heart was breaking but it just couldn't happen

"If you ever do anything like that again" Helen could barely take the hurt and rejection on Nikki's face. She had to try and make it right. She needed Nikki to be her friend, her support but just not like this. "Nikki. Even if I were attracted to you, which I'm not, there is no way we could have a relationship. I mean, for a start, I would be sacked." Helen had just dropped herself in it. "Now, what I'm trying to say to you is find another focus for your attention. Get back with Trisha, anything but don't waste your time on me." More like don't force Helen to choose between what's true and what's easy. Nikki was Helen's true love and Sean, who was the easy choice.

"Well, I'm sorry to have caused you so much trouble, miss." Helen don't stop Nikki as she walks out of the office. Helen knew that what she had just done was perhaps the wrong thing but she had done it for the right reasons.