"Why do you always do it Nikki?" Harry asked his best friend quietly as he stood in the middle of her living room after picking her up from the hospital. She had got in the way of a suspect at a crime scene who had wanted to attack the only witness to the murder and had got a broken arm and bruised ribs for her troubles.

"Do what?" Nikki asked in confusion and frowned as Harry sighed and crossed his hands over his chest.

"All these dangerous situations" Harry told her and Nikki winced as she bent over her table to put her mug down, Harry automatically moved towards her and helped her straighten up again and heard her breath catch in her throat as her ribs hurt "Do you want some of the painkillers?"

"I've had some" Nikki replied and found she didn't really want to move away from Harry who still had one arm around her waist but was disappointed when Harry removed the arm and wandered across her living room.

"You didn't answer my question" Harry said quietly as he pointedly looked at Nikki who had to look away from his intense gaze "Why do you always get into these situations?"

"I don't do it on purpose" Nikki told him and shook her head

"Well you don't do anything to prevent it" Harry replied loudly and waved one hand in her general direction "There are police at the scene, they could have done what you did but instead you put your life on the line for some random person"

"Some random person?" Nikki asked incredulously and shook her head "I can't believe you said that, she wasn't just a random person"

"You know I always dread picking up the phone when you are at crime scenes on your own because in the past few years the ones I have got are ones telling me you have been either kidnapped, attacked or injured in some way and I can't take it anymore" Harry yelled this last bit much to Nikki's shock and she took a step back at his tone "Why do you do it?"

"Because no-one cares" Nikki shouted at him and her eyes filled with tears "Because I'm not worth the worry, I mean I have no-one and all through my life I have been let down so much I don't even care what happens to me anymore because no-one else does either"

"God Nikki that's not true" Harry whispered and Nikki was shocked when she saw his eyes were filled with tears as well, something she had only seen once in the years she had known him "Don't you dare say that no-one cares because I do" his voice broke and he had to clear his throat "My heart breaks every time I see you hurt, whether it is physically or by some man"

Nikki started crying then and Harry crossed the room and gently wrapped his arms around her, being careful of her arm and ribs at the same time.

"I care so much about you Nikki and so does Leo" Harry told her as she cried into his chest "I don't know what we would do if anything ever happened to you. We love you"

"You love me" Nikki stated and looked up at Harry as he nodded. He gave her a small smile and reached up to wipe her cheeks with his thumb before leaning down and pressing a kiss onto her lips.

"I love you as more than a best friend Nikki" Harry told her realising she didn't get his true meaning "I have fallen in love with you"

Nikki's blinding smile made his heart practically jump out of his chest and she gave him a watery laugh as he leant down and kissed her again, showing her exactly how much she meant to him.

Inspired by the Cargo discussion fic on the Silent Witness livejournal, talking about why Nikki always seems to get into dangerous situations. Hi guys from there! XD

xxx