Post Ep for Terror – That Hug totally was not the end of what happened between Nikki and Harry
"We're allowed in to collect our belongings now" Leo said walking back over to wear Harry still held Nikki wrapped in his coat.
"Just to collect?" Nikki asked slightly confused.
"Yes they need to check some things out so we need to go home" Leo said gently trying to ensure he didn't distress Nikki further than he could tell the young woman already was, unsurprising after the past week or so.
"Come on ….I'll buy you lunch though I need to change first these aren't exactly flattering" Harry said with a smile stepping back from Nikki and indicating his scrubs as he slipped a hand behind Nikki steering her toward the lab to collect her belongings.
"They're better than your yellow ones Harry" Leo teased.
"Most things are Leo" Nikki said smiling although Harry noticed it didn't reach her eyes in the way her smiles normally did.
"Are you ready Nikki I'll change at mine whilst you decide where we eat"
"Sounds good enjoy your afternoon Leo" Nikki said as they turned and left.
"I will both of you have fun too" He smiled warmly glancing at them both and silently praying Harry would look after Nikki well.
Being held at gun point, lied to and betrayed by someone she had cared about and now this suspect package which from the level of investigation had been dangerous was surely all too much for her.
"We'll take my car I'll bring you back to get yours later OK" Harry smiled at the woman next to him. The woman he had cared deeply for, for years every threat to her life every danger to her life made it worse but stood outside the lab today, realising what could have been, had been the hardest yet.
"Grab a seat it wont take me long to change" Harry shooed Nikki toward his couch with a smile.
He really needed to relax and focus on cheering her up she had been shaking in his arms and he wasn't totally convinced it was all from the cold. He needed her to be happy, her being happy made him happy if he hadn't messed up, if Penny hadn't died if that Helicopter hadn't crashed maybe they would be happy together already but he had, they had and they weren't.
Life went on it had to, and he had to help Nikki with that.
He stripped out of his scrubs before pulling on a deep green coloured shirt and his black jeans sticking a hand through his hair and with a deep breath heading back out to Nikki.
She had her back to him as he returned to her he saw her shoulders shaking he realised she was crying and crossed to her immediately. He pulled her into his arms holding her as the sobs shook her.
"You are safe now Niks, I promise I know this week has been scary..." he soothed holding he close hoping to soothe himself as well as Nikki.
"I nearly died twice this week... I had a gun held to my head and I genuinely thought I would never see you again …. then today when Leo realised about the package …. I could have died …. Leo could have died … …"
"You are both fine Nik's and I'm so so relieved not having you in my life would break me you mean the world to me" He pulled her into his lap holding her to his shoulder as the tears continued to fall from her eyes soaking into his shirt.
They sat there holding each other allowing the emotions to flow and wash over the knowing that not fighting it would be best in the long run.
Harry pressed a kiss to Nikki's hair as he fought his emotions seeing her hurt like this broke his heart, although not as much as the thought nearly losing her twice in one week did.
"Your life really does flash before your eyes, all the things that happened and all the regrets I have all the things I've never done and never said."
"Shhh sweetheart don't have regrets you survived it all just change things so you no longer have to live with them" He held her close before he felt her pull back.
"You are saying I should take every chance say what I want to say and to hell with the consequences"
"pretty much, I know consequences can be scary but living regrets is surely worse."
"The consequences of this could be big I don't know if I'm brave enough to face them"
"Nicola Alexander you are the bravest woman I know don't dare say you aren't brave you can face anything"
"I cant face the thought of losing you …." she barely whispered he heard her though and shock jolted through him. Did she mean it did she have feelings for him, is that what scared her?
"Whatever it is Nikki and I mean whatever you won't lose me I promise you that nothing would cause that ever" he ran a thumb across her cheeks wiping her tears from her face.
She looked into his eyes, searching for a clue before she leant up and pressed her lips to his gently before pulling back and pulling away looking ready to run. He grabbed her hand preventing her from moving.
"I'm taking it as read that you feel for me more than friendship and that your regrets are my regrets and you wish we had managed to make a go of it a while back" he spoke softly their heads still close.
"You … you feel the same..." she questioned briefly.
"Of course …. I have done for years …. possibly the entire time we've known one another... I just never believed it possible that anything could happen and then when it almost did Penny died and everything got in the way"
"No regrets just take a chance and move on ….?" she questioned smiling the light of it reaching her eyes for the first time that week.
"No regrets and take a chance …. move forward together" he kissed her gently once more knowing that whatever pain they had faced they could move on together in the love they shared.
"How can a day that started so hideously … a week that started so badly in fact end so totally perfectly …." Nikki asked laying on Harry's couch in his arms as they waited for the take out to arrive that evening.
"I don't know but your right that its perfect you are smiling, you are in my arms and you really do belong there now and I can lean and do this without things being awkward or you slapping me" he smiled leaning to kiss her once more deepening it as her hand tangled in his hair.
"Why did you ever go brunette?"
"I don't know really … the women you had more than one night stands with were brunette? Fed up of all the blonde clichés, fed up of being considered a tart"
"I'm sorry if I've made you feel that... it was a defensive thing I could hide behind that and not be as jealous its not true you are a beautiful intelligent gorgeous woman whatever your hair colour ….."
"Thanks …." she blushed and he pulled her closer kissing her forehead the day had moved from terror to joy for the pair and he hoped that would continue as there love grew.
