Another Level 1/?
Disclaimer:- Don't own them just borrowing!
Episode:- 03/03 (vague references no real spoilers)
Pairing:- Nicola/Ollie
Rating:- M
Achieve:- http(:/) . /group/rebeccafrontlewisffarchive/
Summary:- . Now she was sure their world was about to be turned upside down and she couldn't bring herself to tell him yet until she was sure and more importantly sure about what she wanted to do about it if it was true.
Author's Note:- Sequel to "A different sort of Meltdown" if you haven't read it I would advise you read it before reading this otherwise you might be a little confused as to how we got to the stage that this one starts at! If you don't mind just accepting the facts as laid out in this first chapter you could read this on it's own though it's entirely up to you! Rating for language and sexual references so if you don't wanna read it stop now otherwise enjoy and as always reviews would be lovely!
Standing in the empty ladies bathroom at the DoSAC offices Nicola stared into the sink her stomach still churning as she tried to work out if it was save to move, to go back to her office and try to decide what the hell she was going to do about the situation she was now almost 100% sure she was in. For the third night in a row bang on six o'clock she'd had to make the same dash from her office to the ladies. The first night she'd blamed it on the iffy smelling cheese sandwich Glen had brought her from the deli. The second night she'd blamed the stress from the lengthy screaming match she'd just finished having with Malcolm but she was already starting to doubt those explanations. Now with night three under her belt she couldn't ignore the obvious. She's been here before four times to be exact and she was already in a fully-fledged panic inside her head that she was trying to reign in until the others had all left.
"Jesus Nicola you look like hell are you ok?" Ollie asked making her jump as she moved through the office trying to get to the relative safety of her own office door at the other side.
"Fuck Ollie I thought you'd all gone don't fucking do that to me." She snapped glaring at him as his eyes narrowed and she knew she had to get as far away from him as possible. She needed to be able to think straight and of all people he was the last one she needed to see at that exact moment.
"What's going on? I thought you had left already and last time I saw you you were a better fucking colour and didn't look so terrified has something happened? Have you been home? Is it James has he….."
"Don't Ollie I thought we agreed after conference that we weren't going to discuss James you promised you'd let me handle it without fussing over me very time I look like I'm a little more fucking stressed or whatever. I haven't been home and even if I had he's not there to do anything he's in Dublin on business until the end of the week."
"I know what we agreed that I wouldn't tell anyone else about it but you can't expect me not to care if I think he's hurt you again." Ollie sighed running his fingers down her arm and lacing them with hers as she refused to meet his eye. "I care about you and if that doesn't suit you I don't give a fuck because it's a fact now are you going to tell me what's going on?"
"Nothing look I need to go I haven't even laid eyes on the kids in three days I want to get home before they are all in bed again it's bad enough that they forget they have a fucking father these days it's not fair for them to only see me from behind as I climb into the car at stupid o'clock in the morning." Nicola sighed pulling away from him and fighting her urge to just blurt out exactly what she was thinking and throw them both into a tail spin when there was nothing they could do about it at that time of night in the middle of a government building.
"Well once you've got them to bed why don't you call over I think you need to talk and I need to see you myself for more than five minutes between fuck up in this place." Ollie continued as she grabbed her bag from the office and shrugged as she passed him again.
"I'll see, look just let me sort home out a little then we'll talk but I can't promise it'll be tonight." She said quietly as he followed her down the stairs her two ministerial boxes in his hand and set them into the back of the car where Elvis was waiting outside the door.
"Ok but you'll try?" He asked as she nodded and closed the door and he watched the car drive off.
Glancing back through the tinted rear windshield of the car Nicola fought the urge to tell Elvis to go back as she sank back into the seat and tried to think what she could possibly do to get through this and if she could ever even tell him what she was worried was happening. When they'd spent the night together at the conference, well when they'd spent three nights together to be exact, she'd promised herself it would be the only time it happened, that it was a side step of the road of complete fidelity to her husband that she'd been on up to that point, but it hadn't proved to be that easy. He'd refused to let the bruises he'd seen on her body that first night drop and while she knew he'd kept his promise to not push her into action by telling Malcolm about James's violence he had been like a constant body guard on alert for any hint that it had happened again. His quiet attentiveness had made it easy for them to fall into a relationship of sorts, not one that could be defined nor one that even had any structure but a relationship none the less. Now she was sure their world was about to be turned upside down and she couldn't bring herself to tell him yet until she was sure and more importantly sure about what she wanted to do about it if it was true.
"Elvis can we stop off on the way home please there's a little 24 hour pharmacy in the row of shops round the corner from my house there would do." She said quietly smiling as the driver nodded before sinking back into the car seat and trying to calm the pounding in her chest and keep the panic she was still managing to hold on to under control.
Standing outside the DoSAC offices still staring at the space where Nicola's car had been five minutes after she left Ollie sighed.
"Nicola Murray you don't fucking fool me any more something is going on and I wish you just fucking tell me instead of making me play guess the crisis." He muttered checking his jacket pockets establishing he had his phone and car keys before heading across the car park toward his car. Getting in he put the key in the ignition before sitting back unable to start the engine just yet. The few weeks since they had returned from Eastbourne had been strange to say the least but he was adapting to the change in his feelings toward her and thought she was too. It was far from an ideal situation and every time he thought her waste of space husband had laid a hand on her again he had to fight the urge to go round their and beat the fucking shit out of him but he'd kept his promise and not acted on what he knew. Tonight though something was seriously wrong, he could feel it and he didn't know if he could just drive home and carry on as if he didn't. Reaching into his pocket he pulled out his phone dialling her number and waiting till she answered.
"Ollie I only left you ten minutes ago there can't have been any more fuck ups in that time you were the only one left in the office!" She sighed as he heard Elvis in the back ground ask if she wanted him to go in for her and heard her say no she'd go herself in two minutes.
"No it's not work, I need to see you tonight promise me you'll try to come over once the kids are settled it doesn't matter how late it is I'll be up waiting." He said quietly as he heard the car door shut and the familiar ding of a bell indicating the opening of a shop door.
"Ok look I promise but I have to get home before I can go again, you go home I'll see you there later." Nicola sighed scanning the shelf in front of her and then the surrounding area to make sure no one was taking too much interest in what she was buying before hanging up the phone and lifting the small box heading for the cash register.
"Looks like someone is hoping for good news." Just smiling assistant said as she took the money Nicola held out and put the clear blue pregnancy test in a white paper bag. "Good luck."
"Thanks." Nicola sighed heading for the door of the shop before continuing under her breath "I have a feeling I'm going to need it."
