Jack could tell Nikki was tired and he strongly suspected that she wasn't sleeping properly as a result of the events in Mexico, however, when he asked her, she just shrugged at him and gave a vague, non-committal reply. She was giving nothing away but he remained completely unconvinced by her evasive reaction. She wasn't 'ok' and had never mentioned the events of Mexico since they had touched back down in England, nearly two weeks earlier. Jack usually felt it was best to let her get on with it if she didn't want to talk, but in this case, pretending it hadn't happened was not going to solve anything. Thomas and Clarissa' had been even more unsuccessful. Their attempts to get her to open up fell flat - they were met with silence.
The truth was that Nikki was unable to sleep alone, and in the dark. Her recent experience had left a bitter taste and the nighttimes held far too many reminders of it. Each night, she lay awake with all the lights on until her alarm went off again at 5am. On the fourth night, she fell into a deep, agitated sleep from exhaustion during the early hours, consequently sleeping through her alarm and making her late for work the next day. Thomas, Jack and Clarissa made no comment when she came in that morning, at an uncharacteristic hour, flustered from an un-restful sleep filled with nightmarish dreams of dirty, confined spaces, Scorpions and feelings of dizziness and thirst. It was like being back in the box again - only this time she didn't have the comforting sound of Jack's voice to keep her going. The next night, the whole process started again.
Nikki knew that all she had to do was ask and Jack would be there like a shot. He would stay with her for as long as she needed, but she was reluctant to ask because she felt it would be unfair. Jack had his own life and she didn't want to impose on him. She didn't want him to feel that he had to look after her. She didn't want to be a burden. Nikki was also fiercely independent and found it difficult to ask for help. She never liked admitting when she was struggling, so undoubtedly part it was also her being too stubborn for her own good.
After returning from Mexico, Nikki had insisted on coming back to work straight away after the weekend, when Jack started back. It took her mind off the traumatic events of the previous week and it was certainly preferable to being at home on her own all day. Thomas had been reluctant but, as Jack had pointed out, they could keep an eye on her at work, so he had agreed - providing she stuck to paperwork for the time being. He didn't want her brandishing a head saw just yet.
During the middle of the second 'four day' process, Jack found Nikki asleep at her desk a couple of times. It was very unlike her and confirmed his suspicions that she wasn't able to sleep at night but he decided, at least she was getting some sleep. so he left their office again and found something else to do and when Nikki woke, she didn't even know he'd been there. As far as she knew, she had got away with it.
After finding her asleep in their office for the second time, Jack had discussed things with Clarissa and Thomas. Nikki was clearly exhausted, but she obviously was not going to admit it or ask for help. Clarissa had come up with a plan. They would all go to her's for dinner that Friday and Max would make his famous chicken pie. (Famous because Clarissa said so.) A nice homely atmosphere and a dinner of chicken pie, veg and wine was sure to make Nikki open up - or at least just relax a bit. They just had to persuade her that it was a good idea. Thomas had often noticed how Jack seemed more or less able to talk Nikki into anything, so Thomas gave Jack the task of talking her into this. As it turned out, it wasn't difficult. As much as Nikki hated asking for help and didn't want to admit to anyone just how badly she was coping, she did want her friends around her and the added fear of spending another night on her own meant she was easily persuaded.
That Friday came far quicker than any of them expected - at least for Thomas, Clarissa and Jack. On the other hand it came far too slowly for the sleep-deprived Nikki and she was very relieved when it finally arrived. Max's chicken pie really was lovely and the wine was flowing, especially for Nikki. She was already finishing her third glass by the time the meal had ended and was beginning to feel the effects. It concerned Jack a bit and he wondered whether this had been such a good idea after all, but Nikki was having a great time. She hadn't thought about her recent trauma all evening and the wine was making it easier to forget.
Nikki wandered out of the flapping French doors, along the private, palm tree-enclosed beach, enjoying the feel of the sea-soaked sand under her bare feet. The beautiful waterfall cascaded down over the rocks above and showered her with refreshingly cold water. The stunningly colourful shooting stars blazed repeatedly in the sky and hundreds of cute little bunny rabbits surrounded her - that was slightly unusual, bunnies on a beach, but cute all the same. Oh, this was the life! Such sweet music! Nikki stretched her arms up happily in the air and started singing and dancing around.
Underground, overground, wombling free,
The Wombles of Wimbledon Common are we.
Making good use of the things that we find,
Things that the everyday folks leave behind.
Uncle Bulgaria,
He can remember the days when he wasn? behind the times,
With his map of the world.
Pick up the papers and take them to Tobermory!
Wombles are organised, work as a team.
Wombles are tidy and Wombles are clean.
Underground, overground, wombling free,
The Wombles of Wimbledon Common are we!
People don't notice us, they never see,
Under their noses a Womble may be.
We womble by night and we womble by day,
Looking for litter to trundle away.
We're so incredibly, utterly devious
Making the most of everything.
Even bottles and tins.
Pick up the pieces and make them into something new,
Is what we do!
Underground, overground, wombling free,
The Wombles of Wimbledon Common are we.
Making good use of the things that we find,
Things that the everyday folks leave behind.
Jack and Clarissa were in the kitchen doing the washing up when Nikki's rendition of 'The Wombling Song' floated in. Jack looked up, startled "What the hell?" He spied her through the window, dancing around the garden - bare foot in the pouring rain. "Shit!" He thought she was sitting in the living room with Thomas and Max. He threw the tea towel at Clarissa, before heading for the back door, yelling back over his shoulder: "THOMAS! MAX!" Reaching the back door, he called to Nikki. "Darling, what are you doing?!"
Nikki stopped singing and yelled at him enthusiastically, despite him only being a few metres away. "JACK! You've got to come and see this! It's lovely out here and the view is beautiful!" Jack was surprised to hear her long-lost African accent creeping in.
Clarissa had come up behind him. "Blimey, where does she think she is?!"
"Oh, goodness knows!" Jack muttered. "Nikki, you need to come back in now. You've got bare feet and you're soaked through, it's not good!"
Nikki didn't appear to notice the urgent concern in his voice. "I know, this waterfall is amazing! You gotta try it!"
Waterfall? Oh heck! She really was very drunk. There was nothing for it - he would have to go and get her. He ran over to her and scooped her up.
Thomas and Max arrived behind Clarissa to see what was happening. "You're in trouble!" she told them, delightedly as Jack came back in with a drenched and oblivious Nikki, who was giggling excitedly at being carried.
"Why are we in trouble?" Thomas asked, with a resigned sigh.
"You were meant to be looking after her!" Jack responded, reproachfully.
"What? Is she five years old or something?!" Max retorted.
"No she's not five but she is very drunk!" Jack shot back crossly as Nikki continued giggling. "She doesn't even know where she is at the moment!"
"Take her in the living room, Jack. Max will get her a towel." Clarissa directed, taking charge.
Jack sat down on the sofa with Nikki on his lap. She had gone a bit quiet since they had come into the living room. "Waterfall was lovely." She muttered, more to herself than anyone else.
"It wasn't a waterfall honey, it's pouring with rain outside." Jack told her.
"What?" Nikki looked surprised. "But the beach and the palm trees..." She waved her arms about in front of her. Max came back with a towel and Clarissa's dressing gown.
"That's Clarissa and Max's garden - and they were just normal trees." Jack explained wrapping the towel around her.
"Huh?" She looked confused. "But there were shooting stars! All different colours."
"Fireworks, love. Their neighbours are having a party." He answered patiently. She had obviously imagined a beautiful oasis and he was suddenly sorry that he was taking it away from her.
"And the bunny rabbits?" She asked him slowly. Her accent seemed to have gone back to normal now - more or less.
"Bunny rabbits?!" Jack was confused now. A beach, palm trees, a waterfall, shooting stars, ok. He They could all be explained, but bunny rabbits? Where was she getting bunny rabbits from?
"Maybe she means the stones in the rockery?" Clarissa offered.
"My bunnies were really stones?" Nikki looked slightly distraught.
"Ssh, ssh, ssh." Jack soothed her. "It's ok." Bless her - she looked quite upset about mistaking stones for cute, fluffy bunnies.
Once Nikki was dry and comfortably sat in Clarissa's dressing gown - though still feeling the effects of her binge on wine, they all sat down to watch a film together. Max had put her clothes in the airing cupboard to dry them off, whilst Thomas put the kettle on. Nikki was in need of a coffee to combat some of the wine - she wanted tea but Jack insisted she had to have coffee. They were now sitting down with their drinks in front of 'Moonraker'. They all loved James Bond films. Nikki snuggled up to Jack for extra warmth, drank her coffee and eventually succumbed to sleep.
An hour later, she was still asleep. Jack had removed the empty cup from her hand when he realised she was asleep and since then she had never moved, but she was breathing easily in her sleep for the first time since returning from Mexico. Clarissa paused the film. "Jack, do you want to put her in the guest room? She'll be more comfortable."
Jack nodded and got up with Nikki. Thomas also got up. "I'll go and put the kettle on. Drink, anyone? Jack?"
"Yeah, coffee, please." Max and Clarissa nodded.
Jack lifted the quilt up with his free hand and gently placed Nikki on the bed. Replacing the quilt over her, he went to leave the room but she gripped his hand. He looked back at her. She was awake. Damn. "Please stay." She whispered. "I don't want to be on my own."
Jack nodded. "Ok. If you promise to go back to sleep."
Nikki agreed. "Promise." He climbed in next to her and she snuggled up, closing her eyes again. She was so tired.
Thomas went into the guest room to find out where Jack had got to. His coffee was ready. Jack was lying on the bed with Nikki snuggled against him. She was fast asleep. "You alright there, mate?"
Jack nodded. Keeping his tone low, so as not to wake Nikki, he explained, "She woke up briefly, asked me to stay - she doesn't want to be alone. Hopefully this way she can get the sleep she needs. I don't think she's really slept properly since we got back from Mexico. She goes back in that box every time she closes her eyes - she was muttering about it when I found her asleep in the office."
Thomas sighed. "Well, I can't say I'm surprised. An experience like that was bound to have an effect. I'll bring you your coffee in. Do you need anything else?"
"Thanks, Thomas. I'd appreciate it." He shook his head. "I think I'm ok otherwise - maybe a glass of water for Nikki, in case she wakes up again."
Thomas nodded and left the room. After a few minutes, he returned. He gave Jack his coffee and put the water down on the bedside table. Holding up a packet of paraceptamol, he said, "From Clarissa - in case Nikki's hung-over when she wakes up!" He put it down next to the glass of water.
"Thank her from me! That might be a good idea."
Thomas chuckled. "You have to admire Nikki's imagination though! I couldn't have come up with all of that under the influence!"
Jack grinned. "Yeah and her accent coming back was quite cute! I knew it was in there somewhere!"
Thomas chuckled again. "See you later then. You know, you might as well try and get some sleep too. It wouldn't do you any harm!"
After the film, Thomas stretched his arms up. "Well, I guess we should go and see what's happening with them." He gestured towards the guest room. "With any luck, Jack's got some sleep as well. Do him the world of good!"
As the three of them made their way along the corridor, "Clarissa commented, " When will those two come to their senses?"
"I think they already have." Thomas answered as he opened the door. Clarissa and Max joined him in the guest room.
"Aw, how sweet!" Clarissa chuckled. They were now both fast asleep with Nikki lying against Jack's chest and their arms wrapped around each other in a hug. "Bless them!"
Jack and Nikki had both learnt something about each other. Jack had learnt that his suspicions about the repercussions from Mexico were well-founded and Nikki had learnt to let Jack in. It hadn't been as painful as she had expected asking for his help.
Maybe Clarissa's idea hadn't been so bad after all.