Hello everyone! So some of you may have read this before but I have a different account now so I'm going to try improve and update the fanfics I've written on that one and also write some new ones. Anyway, here is the first chapter of a rewritten fanfic, enjoy and please review!

"Why are you so dressed up?" Jack's eyebrows were raised to an abnormal height as he watched Nikki strut down the corridor from the locker room dressed in a lacy black skater dress with a white Peter Pan collar, accessorised with heels and the small silver necklace she always wore. Not that Jack had noticed it of course, he hadn't really paid attention to Nikki in that way, and it was good really, because she merely saw him as you would a brother. He was definitely not her type, and usually she wasn't his – she was far too like his mother always telling him to quit the fights while he could still walk and talk. Though in this moment, he could definitely see why every policeman that came through the door ate out of her hands.
"I actually have a date, not that it's any of your business." Nikki smirked back, not afraid to share anything with Jack, a man who had slotted into place at the Lyell effortlessly. The dynamic was a different one to when Harry was there, but while the cogs had to be reshaped, they managed to fit in the end. Nikki had thought she didn't need a replacement for Harry, but it had been rather quiet the first few weeks and she missed having someone across from her to talk to while they were both busy doing the boring stuff. She was particularly glad to have him since they lost Leo, and when the cogs really struggled to work.

"The guy's lucky."
"Are you complimenting me to be nice or do you want something?"
"Me? Want something? I was paying you a compliment because you look nice and- Ah screw it. You do look nice though, that's not what I mean, but yeah, I do want something as well."
"Thought so." Nikki sighed and placed her handbag down on the her desk after finding it her desk drawer and folded her arms sitting down in her chair expecting a long conversation.
"It's Clarissa's birthday next week- "
"Say no more, I'll buy her a present this weekend. However, in return,"
"Anything!"
"You can cover for me on Monday."
"You're already having the weekend off!"
"Do you want a present or not?"
"Yes sorry, right I'll cover! I take it you're expecting this date to go well then?" He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.
"I do have a feeling about this one."
"You do realise our new boss starts on Monday?"
"Yeah I skimmed the email."
"He'll be wanting to meet you."
"I'm sure he or she, can wait a day!"
"I've never known you to not be such a teacher's pet, this guy must be something. What was his name again?"
"Curiosity killed the cat, Jack."
"But I'd have eight more lives to find out anyway!"
"See you later, have a nice weekend!"
"Yeah, you too!" Jack watched her walk away. He never quite appreciated how she looked, but that was mainly because she never looked… well like that. Whoever the guy was, he was definitely lucky. She was only disheartened for a moment that Jack had not mentioned anything about her birthday being that weekend, but she couldn't really complain as she had made a conscious decision not to remind anyone at the Lyell anyway. She couldn't imagine a birthday at the Lyell without Leo at least.

"Well now I feel under-dressed." She jumped out of her skin ready to hit the man who had crept up behind her. She spun around but her face spread into a grin, lighting up as she was engulfed into a hug."
"We'll save the undressing till tonight shall we?" She said with a wink as she finally looked up at him. They looked into each other's eyes for a few moments, relishing and remembering them as it had been a while since they'd seen each other, in person anyway. The heels allowed her to kiss him without tip-toeing, and he didn't have to crane his neck to kiss her back. "I suppose we don't have to wait till later." She gave in after the kiss, as she knew she would.
"As lovely as that sounds, I am famished. You do realise how long the journey takes to get here don't you? Plus, you've not dressed up just for me to take it off again straight away, we've got things to do first and by which, I mean things to eat, did I mention I'm starving?"
"Come on then! Let's go!"
"Okay, hotel first so I can dump my bag and then on to your surprise!"
"I hate surprises."
"You're a terrible liar. Besides, this just isn't any ordinary surprise."

"This is… this is just beautiful. You really didn't have to do all this for me."
"Who's to say this is for you? I love the view up here, no light pollution." She almost laughed, it was very unlike him to say something like that, but then he was constantly surprising her lately. He pulled out her chair, waited for her to sit down and then took his own opposite her. Thankful that her birthday was in July and not December, he'd booked the roof of his favourite restaurant so that the dinner would be perfect and intimate. He hadn't quite fixtured in the hustle and bustle of a busy city, but they were both ignorant to the cars and horns and people when they sat down and ate and drank and chatted though it had been years since they'd last spoken. In reality they'd spoken that morning, through Skype of course. He was just letting her know he was all set for the flight and she was reminding him where he'd put his passport and such, because she knew he wouldn't remember the safe place he told he had put it. Then again, they'd not spoken in person for almost two months now, and they had so much to say. There wasn't a moment throughout the dinner that Nikki couldn't quite believe where she was. On the roof of a building. With the perfect gentleman. On a date. Celebrating her birthday. The Lyell couldn't be further from her mind, it's a good job neither of them brought it up, though she had a habit of it, which he had noticed. At least it didn't put him off, like it did her previous suiters. It was around ten when they had finally finished at the restaurant on the roof.

"It's getting late, maybe we should head back?" He suggested.
"Not yet, let's go for a walk?" They walked around the park for half an hour or so, and Nikki had begun to get cold, so he had draped his blazer over her shoulders, drowning her in grey, but she hadn't been ready to go home straight away. She wanted to talk more, impressed that neither of them had given in to each other quite yet, and they were catching up with each other's lives.
"So what would you like to do tomorrow for your actual special day?"
"I thought we could go for a picnic here in the afternoon, and maybe the cinema?"
"Sounds great. What's even on?"
"I have no idea, we'll wing it."
"Nikki Alexander when do you ever wing anything?" He knew she would be checking the film times before he was even up tomorrow, and they would have tickets before they walked into the cinema. "Well whatever we see, can it just not have a ridiculously predictable plot?"
"Are you talking about my rom-coms again?"
"Oh no, definitely not, they're all extremely different. I mean Jennifer Anniston definitely has a different haircut in all of them at least." She lightly punched his arm, and noticed he had goosebumps, making her feel guilty she had his blazer, though when she tried to give it back he just suggested they go back to hers, which was the perfect compromise as she was beginning to get tired too.

"Drink?" She called from the kitchen as he was making himself at home, spilling the contents of his case on to the floor of her living room looking for his pyjamas.
"You have any wine?"
"When do I not have wine?"
"That's a point, you alcoholic."
"Well what am I meant to do when you're not here?" She laughed from the kitchen, though his heart sank a little bit at the thought. She brought through two wine glasses and a bottle of the good red wine she'd been saving for him. He was still unpacking his things, while she poured.
"Is that really more interesting than I am?" She managed to ask him that as he pulled out the book he'd been reading on the plane.
"What, this? Nikki, you know I love you but Harry Potter before all." He said earnestly while flapping the book around in his hand.
"You're such a kid."
"Yes but you love me for it."
"I suppose so." He chucked the book back on to the pile and flopped on to the sofa beside her.
"So what are we drinking to?"
"Let's drink to you, it's nearly your birthday. In fact it's only an hour away!"
"Well we can toast to me tomorrow! I think we should drink to you being here."
"Now, I'm not usually one to turn down drinking to my fantastic self, but how about we compromise and toast to us?"
"Compromising? Almost as though you're a grown adult in a serious relationship. I can drink to that." Their glasses clinked in the air, and echoed a little. They took a little sip before caving in. He placed his glass down before taking hers from her, placing it next to his, just missing the coaster. He kissed her again, the most passionate of the day.
"I take it you've missed me Doctor Cunningham?"
"That's Professor to you."
"Sorry sir." Followed by a mock salute only gained Nikki tickles and further kisses, before they dragged themselves into the bedroom.

"You definitely missed me then?" Nikki giggled as she lay on his chest, listening to his heart gradually slow down its beating.
"I wouldn't say you weren't excited to see me either!" He joked back, but stroked her hair with the arm that was around her shoulders.
"I have missed you, of course I have. It's so hard only seeing you every few months, and even then I usually get called into work!"
"You've definitely got this weekend off though?"
"Yes! I also managed to get cover to I can be one of those crying girlfriends waving you off at the airport."
"How embarrassing." He jokingly turned away from her but quickly turned back when she sighed.
"What's wrong?"
"Do you miss me?"
"Of course I do! That's a silly question." They were interrupted by the beeping of Harry's watch which flashed 00:00 at them. "Happy birthday." He lifted her chin up and pressed another kiss on to her mouth, before removing his arm and jumping out of the bed.
"Where are you going?" Nikki looked a little worried, but from the mischievous sparkle in Harry's eye, she knew she needn't be.

He wasn't long in the living room, but by the time he had got back she was fast asleep. He sighed, but smiled and tucked the little box into the pocket of his trousers which lay on the floor, before gently tucking his arm back under Nikki, and closing his eyes himself. He'd had a busy day, but this had been worth it.