Nightmares

Clarissa/Jack

…

It was very rare for the whole team to have some free time all at once, so Nikki had decided that everyone was in need of a good night out. Their last case had been pretty gruelling, Clarissa and Jack had worked a straight seventy-two hours trying to get traces of DNA to help arrest a man the police believed had abducted and murdered a twelve year old girl. The pictures from the crime scenes alone clearly had an effect on Clarissa; the older woman had been very quiet the last few days which worried Jack. Once he'd mentioned his concerns to Nikki, she'd come back an hour later with the dinner plans.

"I don't know Nikki, Karaoke?"

"Oh come on, it'll be fun. Dinner, a little singing…it will loosen everyone up."

"I'm not much of a Karaoke person Nikki and I can't picture Clarissa and Thomas doing it either?"

"Picture Thomas and I doing what?" Clarissa asked, entering the room.

Jack rolled his eyes at Nikki when he heard Clarissa's voice behind them, looking to his right as she stopped beside him.

"So come on then, what can't you picture us doing?"

"I think I'll leave this one to you Nikki." Jack grinned.

Nikki gave Jack an "I'm going to kill you" look before turning her attentions to Clarissa who was still waiting for someone to answer her question.

"I was just suggesting to Jack that it might be nice if all four of us went out to dinner, some down time. It's been really busy with cases lately and I think we all just need a night off to relax."

"Dinner?"

"Yes."

"And Jack couldn't picture Thomas and I having dinner?"

"Oh no, wait…it gets better." Jack smirked.

"Oh do shut up Jack." Nikki said with annoyance.

"So?" Clarissa asked.

"I thought we might try some Karaoke too, it was stupid I know…forget I said it."

Nikki ran a hand through her hair before sitting down, Jack's eyes fixed on Clarissa who had gone quiet.

"Clarissa?"

"Well, I don't claim to be much of a singer but why not."

"Wait what…you'd actually go?" Jack asked with shock on his face.

"Isn't that what I just said?"

"Fabulous, well I'll let Thomas know and I'll make reservations for tomorrow night, is that's fine with everyone." Nikki asked.

Jack and Clarissa both nodded their heads in agreement as Nikki got up and walked away to find Thomas, a big smile on her face. Jack turned to Clarissa, seeing the tired look in her eyes that had returned.

"You really surprise me sometimes, you know that?"

"What, you think I wouldn't enjoy it. I'll give anything a go once."

"You okay, you look tired?"

"We're all tired Jack."

"Well yeah but I…"

"We should get back to work."

Clarissa turned her wheelchair around, making her way back to the lab, Jack watching his friend closely as she got back to her desk.

…

The following night, Nikki was already at the restaurant with Clarissa when Jack and Thomas arrived, Jack smiling when he spotted them as he and Thomas and made their way over.

"Sorry we're late, Taxi took the wrong turning." Thomas smiled.

"It's fine, we haven't long arrived ourselves."

"Well, when you said a restaurant, this wasn't quite what I was expecting."

"Well she did say it had Karaoke, I wouldn't think a posh place would have that." Jack grinned.

"Why do you always assume I eat in posh restaurants, I love this place. It's such a friendly atmosphere and the food is great and don't worry Jack, they do burgers so you're safe."

"Ha…she's got you pegged." Clarissa laughed.

"Yeah thanks for that." He said, looking over at his friend.

Clarissa kept eye contact with him for a few moments before looking down at her menu.

"Why don't I go to the bar and get some drinks. Wine for you two?"

"Please." Nikki replied.

"Clarissa?"

"White for me Jack."

"Thomas?"

"I'll have a scotch if you don't mind?"

"A scotch…coming right up, won't be long."

Nikki watched Jack walk away, Thomas and Clarissa sat deciding what they'd have for dinner.

"I'll go and help him with the drinks."

Nikki rushed over, coming up beside Jack who'd just handed over the money.

"Hey, you didn't need to help, I'm fine."

"Happy too."

"So, did you talk to her?"

"Jack, are you sure you're not just reading in to things. She said she was fine."

"Oh come on Nikki, you know Clarissa just as well as I do."

"Well I don't know about that, you've worked with her for more years than me."

"That doesn't mean anything though."

"Of course it does, you obviously care a great deal about her."

"Clarissa and I, we've never really done the whole heart to heart thing."

"The heart to heart thing? Oh Jack, talk to her. She might loosen up after some wine."

"I'll drag Thomas up later for some singing, give you some time alone."

"Cheers Nikki."

They got the drinks, taking them back to their friends, Jack taking a seat beside Clarissa as he handed her the wine.

"Get stuck in to that." He smiled.

Clarissa looked up at him, a genuine smile on her face as she accepted the glass of wine.

"Thanks Jack."

"Don't mention it."

He gave her a small wink before looking through his menu before the waiter arrived to take their orders.

…

A few hours later and everyone had loosened up a little, the more relaxed atmosphere helping. Nikki finally managed to get Clarissa to sing a duet with her, Nikki choosing Islands in the Stream. Jack and Thomas watched from their seats, Thomas laughing at Nikki who was a little tipsy from the three glasses of wine she'd already consumed.

"I don't think she ought to give up her day job." Thomas said looking over to Jack.

"Definitely not, Clarissa's not much better."

"You think we could take them on?"

"Don't fancy their chances there, why not…come on."

Thomas and Jack made their way up on the stage, Jack quickly taking the microphone from Nikki's grasp.

"Hey, what are you…"

"Our turn, we'll show you girls how it's really done."

Nikki helped Clarissa off the stage as Jack and Thomas got ready to sing. Jack chose Eye of the Tiger, Nikki laughing when she heard it beginning. She took a seat beside Clarissa at the table, both women in stitches as Jack and Thomas tried to keep in sync with one another as they sang.

"Oh my god, and they said we were terrible."

"Compared to that, we have the voices of angels." Clarissa smiled as she burst out laughing when Jack missed his cue.

Clarissa could see Nikki staring at her when she thought she wasn't looking, which was starting to annoy her just a little.

"Nikki?"

"Mmmm, what is it?"

"You tell me, I feel like you want to say something, or am I just imagining it?"

Nikki turned her chair, so that she was a little closer to Clarissa, finally keeping eye contact with her.

"You know he cares about you, don't you?"

Clarissa looked slightly confused as Nikki sat waiting for a reply.

"Who are we talking about?"

"Jack of course."

"Oh, right."

"Oh right? Clarissa what is it, Jack's right…you're not yourself."

"It was just this last case it was…I don't know."

"I know it wasn't the best but then none of them are and you…"

"Well ladies, how did we do?"

Clarissa went very quiet as Thomas and Jack came over, lowering her head to drink her wine.

"Not as good as we were but what can you do."

Nikki watched Clarissa closely, then up at Jack who now looked worried.

"Come on Thomas, I think it's time I showed you how it's really done. Jack…talk to her." Nikki whispered as she dragged Thomas away, giving them some time alone.

Jack turned to Clarissa who placed her empty wine glass to the side; he finally decided enough was enough.

"Right missus, come on."

Before Clarissa had a chance to speak, Jack was already behind her chair, wheeling her outside in to the cool night air.

"Jack stop."

"No."

He brought her chair to a stop and took a seat on the wall so that he was facing her.

"Okay, this has gone on long enough. You've been acting weird since we got the Saunders case, talk to me Clarissa."

"Jack I…"

"We're not going back inside until you've talked so; I have all the time in the world."

"It was the girl, I saw Nikki performing the autopsy on her."

"Oh…"

"She was so young Jack, who does that to a twelve year old."

"In our line of work you see a hell of a lot of bad stuff, but the ones involving kids are always the worst."

"I've seen Nikki do autopsies before Jack but…I don't know, this one stayed with me. Every time I close my eyes, I see her lying there."

Jack reached out, taking hold of her hand.

"I'm sorry you had to see that."

"I'm sorry I've been off with you, I know you were worried about me."

"Of course I was…we're friends aren't we. Look I can't tell you that you'll forget about this any time soon but it will fade, and until then…you know you can always talk to me, day or night."

"Thanks Jack."

"I mean it, day or night."

"I promise, I will."

"Now, do you feel up to another duet with your sexy sidekick?"

"Sure, lets show them how it's really done."

…

-Fin