Breathing slowly, Nicki entered the room. She hadn't seen this room for almost twnty years. It hadn't changed much: there were still no pictures of her on the wall- no sign at all that she had ever lived here.

'Who is it?' Croaked an ancient voice from the sofa in the next room.

'It's me,' She replied, 'Nicki. Your daughter.'

Silence rang in her mother's ears. Nicki? How could it have been? But it was. Nicki walked into the room and tried not to gasp as she saw her mother. Sunken eyes that were nearly impossible to see out of stared back at her.

'You ran away.' Said her mother coldly as Nicki approached her, her mouth slightly open, 'you said you wanted nothing more to do with our family.'

'Why do you think that is?' Replied Nicki sarcastically, 'everyday you just stood and watched my dad beat me up. He abused me and you did nothing about it. I decided to leave, to live a different life.'

'So you joined the army,' her mother posed, a trace of amusement detectable beneath the dislike in her tone, 'a very stupid decision for a girl your age.'

'I don't regret it,' sighed Nicki, gazing around the room, 'and you've decayed. You're disgusting.'

'And you are a waste of space,' spat her mother, 'you were my only daughter. I wanted you to do something with your life but no, you acted like the opposite sex. You never did as you were told. You are, and have always been, a disappointment.'

Nicki said nothing. She felt like a stone had dropped in her belly. After a while she murmured, 'it was a mistake coming here.'

Just as Nicki went to leave, her mother growled after her, 'do you even have a man in your life.'

'What?' Nicki asked, taken aback, 'no.'

'It is clear now,' said her mother sadly,' why you are not complete.'

Nicki frowned before leaving. Why on earth did that matter to her mother. She was perfectly fine without a man.

The day only got worse.

Because she no longer had a car, Nicki ended up ten minutes late for class. 'I can't believe you think I'm irresponsible when you can't even be bothered to turn up for lessons,' spat scout as Nicki ran into the classroom, panting.

Nicki didn't reply. Instead she just handed out the work for that lesson and stared out of the window, thinking. Had her life in the army really been wasted? Was her existence meaningless?

She was so immersed in her own thoughts that she didn't notice when the bell rang.

'Miss!' Shouted Scout, 'bells gone. Can we go to break now?' Nicki jumped before nodding. Everyone left the classroom, everyone except Scout. She just stood there, looking at Nicki with an unreadable expression on her face.

At break, Nicki spent her time in the staff room, looking absently down at the floor. She was completely unaware of her fellow teachers casting glances at her.

When the bell finally rang out again, signalling another lesson, Nicki was one of the last to leave.

She was just about to exit when a voice issued from behind her, 'are you okay.' She turned around to see Tom behind her, a concerned look on his face.

'It's none of your business how I am feeling.' Nicki responded coldly. She didn't need his pity, especially after he had disagreed with her over the Scout thing, causing her to almost lose it with him.

Tom nodded in agreement before walking out of the door. Nicki stared after him. In that moment she was reminded of what great friends they had been when they had worked at the school in England. What had happened to them?

At the end of the day Nicki was walking out of the gates when Tom came up to her and said softly, 'do you want a lift home? Just, I know you don't have a car so…'

'Okay,' answered Nicki, smiling. She didn't know why she was feeling so happy. The journey home was much quicker in Tom's car.

'Thanks,' grinned Nicki as they entered her living room and sat on the sofa together.

'So…' said Tom, 'are you sure that there is nothing wrong?'

'Okay okay,' sighed Nicki, 'I went to visit my mother today. See I left my home at the age of nineteen because my mum, well, lets just say she had a drink problem as well as other problems. My dad wasn't any better either. He abused me everyday. He got into spontaneous fits of rage sometimes and just lost it. He pulled my hair, punched me, kicked me. Anyway, as soon as I could I ran away to join the army. I found that the war was the only thing worse than my own family so I tried my hardest to play my part in it. Anyway, my mum disagrees. She thinks I'm a waste of space.'

'You are not!' Exclaimed Tom firmly, putting his hand of Nicki's shoulder. She smiled and looked at him. For the first time in weeks, their eyes met and, overwhelmed by emotion, Nicki grabbed him and kissed him fiercely. Surprised by her sudden movement, Tom responded to the kiss, his arms wrapping around Nicki's waist.