Talking to Tony, you try not to stare. Too hard! Now you just hope she doesn't look your way whilst you stare. Damn, busted; you turn a shade of pink and turn away. You shouldn't be doing this, yes she is now single, but you vowed to her when you told her that you wouldn't do anything about it. Soon enough, Reg joins the conversation and the banter moves onto trains and the great robberies of the last ten years, giving you the chance to let your mind wander.
You had never intended to give yourself away, but then Nikki almost got herself killed, you were pissed. Pissed at her for doing it, and angry at yourself for letting it get to you so much. And it had gotten to you. There had always been that mutual dislike. Well, what people had thought was dislike, but in the last week it had intensified. You were more than angry at her, and it had been noticed. Nikki had pulled you aside finally to ask why. Just a question at first,
"Why, Diane, have you been treating me so badly as of late?"
When you had refused to answer, she had taken on the sergeant role and had given you a good yelling at about how she was your sergeant and was to be treated with respect, even if you did not see eye to eye, or you disagreed about certain things. The rant had gone on for a good 10 minutes before she had stopped.
Her anger fed into yours and when she asked again why she was been treated so badly, you told her.
"Because I love you." The words are uttered before you even realized you had said them, and the shock on Nikki's face was evident. You had never meant to tell her, she was married to another sergeant, a male sergeant.
She went pale, and put her hand on the desk. Taking that as your chance to leave, you fled, to the desks to do paperwork. The hours seemed to drag, all that was going through your head was that scene; the shock on her face; the fact that you, Diane Noble, had told her.
5 minutes before the end of the shift, Nikki came up, and asked you to come to her office.
"Diane, about what you said today—"
"Nikki it's okay. I am not going to push this any further, I won't say anything about it, or make any reference to it. Basically forget I ever said it. I know your happily married and what I said was out of order and I'm sorry."
"What you said was out of order."
What Nikki was going to say after that, if she was ever going to say something, you never knew as the door was opened by the Inspector.
"Nikki, sorry to interrupt, do you have that report for the Super?"
You took that chance to slide out the door. From then on, you both acted as normal as you could. The hate resumed but sometimes, just sometimes, you would catch Nikki looking at you and you would wonder.
"Diane?"
"Yeah?" You're brought back to the present.
"We're going, but have a Merry Christmas okay" Tony said to her, with Reg nodding.
"Of course. I'm working tomorrow, but have a good day at home."
Seeing Leon and some more relief at the bar, you head over there, less chance for Nikki to corner you, although you sense more than see Nikki come up behind and stand next to you. She starts to join in the conversation, and the emotions that are coursing through your body are going crazy. It's the alcohol, you tell yourself, although you know that's a lie; you've only had one drink. After a few moments, Leon excuses himself and suddenly you're face to face for the first time – outside of a professional capacity.
"So are you working tomorrow?"
"Yeah, you?"
"Yep."
"I should actually be going home; early morning. See you then Nikki." That wasn't bitch, that was self preservation, if you hadn't left abruptly like that, well, you were not sure what could have happened. Waiting for a taxi outside, the door opens and you can tell without looking by the butterflies in your stomach that it is Nikki.
"Diane, we live close by, can we share a taxi?"
As the taxi turns into Nikki's street, she speaks up.
"Do you want to come in for a coffee?"
Diane felt her stomach going up through her throat.
"It's best if I don't, early morning and all that."
Nikki reaches over and puts her hand on Diane's
"Please Diane, can you come in."
By the time Diane reaches the kitchen, the toilet is looking like a good place to be, if her stomach is anything to go by. She hadn't been this nervous since her weeding, and even then, well she wasn't this nervous.
She wanted to ask what's going on, to break the silence, but suddenly the kettle is boiled and Nikki is handing her the cup of coffee.
"What's up Nikki?"
"Diane," At this she stops and looks away. After a moment she looks back. "I don't know how to say this, I've never done this before, but I want you." Nikki finishes in a whisper then she closed her eyes.
The cup almost slips from her hand, but Diane grasps it tightly, almost burning her hand in the process as the hot water slips over the edge of the cup.
"Diane I know that it's too late and that, but—"
Diane cuts her off by moving forward and placing her lips on Nikki's. After an instant, Nikki is kissing her back. Diane can feel her soft lips and deepens the kiss. Isn't this what she had been dreaming off for the last year?
After a moment, Nikki breaks off the kiss.
"Diane, this could be a stupid question, but I am taking it that you still like me."
All Diane can do is kiss her back. After a little bit, Nikki's hands start to wander up to her face and then in her hair, her hands find the back of Diane's head and push Diane even closer, which is quite amazing considering that they're already kissing.
A moment later they pull apart, breathing heavily and Nikki pulls Diane out of the kitchen and upstairs into the bedroom. At the door, Diane pulls away.
"Nikki, if you've never, then I don't want to rush you."
"Di, this is what I want it, if you don't then that's cool but…"
They're kissing and making their way over to the bed, Nikki pulls Diane down and shoes come off, then socks. Nikki's hand wanders nervously over Diane's back and down to the curve of her breast where she hesitates. Diane, on feeling the hesitation, pulls the hand and touches her breast with Nikki's hand. This is all it takes. From there Nikki doesn't need help. The clothes soon come off, and as they kiss, lying next to each other, Nikki's hand slips down Diane's body until she reaches the hair and the part of her legs. Diane leans back and Nikki moves over her and they start kissing all over again.
They lie side by side and breath. It's 1.30 Christmas morning.
"Merry Christmas Diane"
"Merry Christmas Nikki"