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"It's nice to finally meet you." Nicole said.
"Yes, you too." He replied.
"So you didn't know about me? You really didn't?" She asked, a tear escaping her eye.
"No. I didn't. Or I would've kept contact." He said, sighing at his own stupidity.
"Why didn't you?" She asked, still quite upset.
"Cancer. I thought I was dying."
"Oh. Em... Would I... I mean... Would it be suitable...could I maybe... Hug you?" She stammered, embarrassed. She'd been dreaming of meeting him her whole life, she wanted so badly for him to like her. A wide smile broke out across Nick's face.
"Of course you can." He said, opening his arms. She ran into them and allowed the tears to flow freely. Nick felt an almost overwhelming rush of emotion and love flow through him. "Hey, hey. Don't cry. I'm back now, and I'm not going anywhere. I promise." Nicole nodded.
"I know, its just... I really have wanted to know you, like, for forever! I've waited for this my whole life!" Nick smiled.
"Well, I'm glad you still want me to be a part of your life." Nick said.
"And I'm glad you wanted to meet me." She said. "I didn't think you would." She admitted.
"Hey, of course I would. You didn't think I'd willingly miss more of my little girl's life." He soothed. Nicole tried to compose herself. She wiped her eyes and stepped back from Nick.
"So you're the new clinical lead, huh?" He nodded.
"Yep. I'm your mum's boss again. Just like old times." He chuckled.
"How did you and mum meet?" Nick laughed.
"Well, I got a call from Henry, you know Henry?" She nodded.
"He passed away a few months ago." She said.
"Oh. I'm sorry to hear that. We were old friends. He said that his ED needed a clinical lead. I said I'd be happy to come in. So I did. I saw two doctors in Resus, arguing over a patient, on my first day. I walked in and Noel, he ran after me, he thought I was a member of the public. Well. I didn't say anything, the two doctors, your mum and adam, were still arguing. I grabbed a stress ball off of Noel and fired it at them. It hit adams chest and then bounced off and hit your mum's." Jody laughed.
"I bet she loved you for that!" She said. Nick laughed in agreement with her sarcasm.
"We were arch enemies for ages. Then we had a rough day, I said I'd buy her a drink if she broke some bad news to my patient. She did. But when my shift ended, and I went into my office. There she was, sitting in my chair with two glasses of red wine. We were together from then on." He said, smiling at himself and the memories he and Zoe shared.
"That's so cute!" Nicole exclaimed.
"It was." Nick agreed. Zoe came back in then.
"Hey. You two getting along?" She asked. They nodded. "Well then how come everyone's crying?" She asked, playfully.
"I don't know mum. Why were you crying?" Nicole retaliated, cheekily.
"Hoy you!" Zoe exclaimed. Laughing, she pulled Nicole up and wrapped her in a tight embrace.
"I love you." She said.
"I love you too mum." Nicole replied. Nick smiled at the two of them together. He loved that they were so close.
"Well, our shift just finished Nick. Fancy some dinner?" Zoe asked, somewhat hopefully.
"I'd love some Zoe." He said. Her and Nicole smiled.
"Cool. Lets go then." She and Nicole put on their coats, Nicole grabbed her school bag and then they all headed to Zoe's Bug.
"Cute car." Nick commented sarcastically.
"Oh haha. Just because I don't have a V8, sporty Mercedes. Nicole and I get along very well with Herbie. Get over it." Zoe retaliated.
"Herbie? You actually refer to your car as herbie?" He said.
"Yes we do." Nicole said, indignantly, defending her mum and their car. Nick laughed.
"Thats different." He said, as they got in. Zoe drove them to one of the many Italian restaurants in Holby Central. They went in and were seated at a table for three.
"Okay, here are some menus. I'll come over shortly to take your order for drinks." Said the waitress before walking off.
"Okay everyone, choose what you would like." Zoe said. They all buried their heads in their menus. After a while Nicole looked up.
"Mum, can I just have a small Margherita pizza?" She said.
"Sure sweetheart. Nick, you decided."
"Um, I think I'll go with the carbonara." Nick said.
"Okay cool." At that moment, the waitress came over. She took their order for drinks and for their meals and left again, promising to return with the drinks. In the meantime, they had time to talk.
"So Nick, how long have you been free of Cancer?" Zoe asked.
"11 months. I'd been on and off of chemo for the past 13 years. Mcfae did the operation shortly after I arrived, but there was an incredibly long recovery period before the chemo could start." He said.
"Oh. Sounds like you've had quite the time of it." He nodded.
"Something like that." Nicole piped up then.
"So why didn't you come home sooner?" She asked.
"Wasn't fit to fly dear."
"Oh." The waitress came back over and handed them each their drink before heading of again.
"So, have you two been doing anything interesting?" Nick asked.
"Work." Zoe replied.
"School." Nicole added.
"Oh right. How's that going for you Nicole?" He asked her.
"It's all right. Its there." Zoe snorted.
"Yeah right. Modesty central over here. She's an A grade student with impeccable report cards from over the years. Her teachers at parents night told me that, and you'll love this, I had to try and get her to study less or she would burn out." Zoe said.
"Mum!" Nicole exclaimed.
"Nicole, you've done brilliantly. Why hide that?" She turned back to Nick. "But the teachers are right. She does need to study less. She's stressed herself out so much that most days, she comes home with chest pains." She said, raising her eyebrows at Nicole.
"Its not that bad..." Nicole said, defending herself.
"No, it is. I've tried to relax her, get her to study less. But no. Nothing works."
"Nicole. You'll kill yourself if you continue like that." Nick said.
"I'm fine." She said. Nick wasn't convinced. He'd been in her position, and he hadn't listen. He'd stressed himself out so much at school that he was hospitalised in year eleven.
"No, you must listen to your teachers. Stressing will only make you older faster." He said smiling.
"He's right you know. Zoe added. Nicole had had enough though, she wasn't finding this conversation either pleasant or funny.
"Well you know what! I did it so that I'd be smart enough to be a doctor! Because I thought it would impress you enough to come home and meet me! So sorry!" She yelled and stormed out of the restaurant. Everyone was staring. Nick turned to Zoe.
"D'you want me to..." He began, but Zoe stopped him.
"I've got this. She followed Nicole out into the cold.
"All right you. What's wrong?" She asked, folding her into a loving embrace.
"All I ever wanted to do was be good enough to make him interested." She cried into Zoe's shoulder.
"Sh, sh, baby. You didn't have to burn yourself out. You didn't have to push yourself to breaking point. Not for him. Oh, why didn't you talk to me?" She said.
"I didn't think you'd understand."
"Oh Nicole. I do, I get it. But he's here now. He isn't going anywhere. And he wants to get to know you. So come on. Lets get back inside and try. Then maybe, we can focus on fixing the stress thing. There's no need for it anymore. Especially not at your age. Okay sweetheart?" Nicole nodded. Zoe took her hand.
"Come on," she wiped the tears off of her cheeks. "Lets go eat dinner and enjoy our night." Nicole nodded and followed Zoe back into the restaurant and over to their table.
"You okay?" Nick asked, as she sat down. Nicole just nodded. "I never would have wanted you to feel like that. You don't ever have to feel like you need to impress me. Ever." He said, again, she just nodded. At that moment, the waitress came over and handed them their meals. Nick and Zoe made small talk over dinner, Nicole only got involved in bits and pieces of it.
When they finished, Nick offered to pay and then they headed out to the bug.
"Nick, have you got a place?" Zoe asked, aware he'd only just got back to Holby.
"No, but I'm booked into the Premier Inn." He said, unenthusiastically.
"Oh Nick, come on, we'll go pick up your stuff. You're staying at mine. And no buts." Zoe said. Nick opened his mouth to protest, but she raised her eyebrows at him and he shut up.
"Okay, thank you Zoe." They went, collected Nicks belongings, crammed them into Zoe's small car, and then headed home. They walked in the front door and Zoe turned to Nicole.
"Will you go flick the oettle on sweetie?" She asked. Nicole nodded and headed off to the kitchen. Nick sighed.
"Have I done something wrong?" He asked, sounding hurt.
"No. She's just, just getting used to the idea of you being around I think. She'll warm up to you." Nick nodded. Then, quite spontaneously, he threaded his arm around the small of Zoe's back and pulled her in for a long desired, terribly missed and extremely passionate kiss.
