Nikki nodded towards the police officer that held the crime scene tape up for her to walk under then made her way over to where she saw Harry and Leo standing by a body on the park floor. It was almost midnight but a full moon illuminated the park in a bright glow allowing everyone to see quite clearly.
"Sorry I'm late" Nikki told them as she reached where they were "Car troubles"
"You're here that's the important thing" Leo nodded and Harry greeted her with a warm smile that made her stomach jump happily "I'm sorry to call you both out but as you can see" he indicated to the body "I'm going to need help"
Nikki took her first look at the body as Harry moved from where he was obstructing her view and she felt her heart speed up as she took in the scene. The body, or what Nikki took to be the body was in a deep pit in the ground, and was crawling with ants. She could see the body and the ground around the body moving with the thousands of tiny insects that crawled their way along it. She swallowed a lump in her throat and had to turn away to stop the rising nausea that the scene brought to her.
"Do you think you can get down there and check the body?" Leo asked her and Nikki looked back at him in confusion "Harry and I are too heavy to get down there without destroying the side of the pit and in doing so losing evidence"
"Um…down there?" she asked and looked down at the pit before looking away from the moving mass "I'm..not so good with ants" she added quietly. She prided herself in being a strong woman and hated the fact that she was beaten by a swarm of tiny insects.
"Really?" Harry enquired from where he was standing next to the pit staring into it "I never knew that"
"Yes well..I don't broadcast it" Nikki snapped and made the mistake of looking down the pit again "Would you…" she didn't finish her sentence as she turned and ran under the crime scene tape behind Leo, bent over and vomited.
"Wow she's got it bad" Harry muttered to Leo who nodded and let the younger man go and talk to Nikki.
"Hey" Harry whispered as he reached Nikki and placed his hand gently on her back where she was still bent over taking deep breaths "You've got it bad" he repeated and Nikki nodded and laughed hollowly.
"Yeah, I don't know why" she told him as she straightened up "I can handle spiders, bees, wasps but when it comes to ants" she shuddered and Harry gave her a smile.
"It's alright" he shrugged "Everyone is scared of something"
"Yeah but this is a deep irrational phobia that is stupid"
"No it's not" Harry argued "It's fine, there's nothing to be ashamed of"
Nikki was silent for a minute then nodded and placed a still shaking hand on Harry's arm.
"Thank you" she nodded "Could you…" she nodded towards where Leo and the pit was "I know the best way is to face your fear but I cant"
"Yeah it's fine" Harry nodded "How about I take the body back to the lab, get it cleaned up and you can do the autopsy"
Nikki nodded then frowned.
"There's probably ants inside the body"
Harry grinned at her and gently steered her back towards the crime scene holding the tape up for her.
"Then I'll be there to hold your hand"
Inspired by by own fear of ants and a CSI:Miami episode that I was watching at the same time. ;) I wrote a few more one-shots last night so I'll post them some time today as well.
xxx