Wow, thank you one and all for your amazing responses. My ego was inflated nicely! I'm working on chapter 3 as we speak so I figured it was only fair to post chapter 2! Feedback is loved, as always. Enjoy!

Between Finger and Thumb

My friends we've seen it all, triumphs to drunken falls and our bones are broken still, but our hearts are joined until

February 15th 2010 Donegal, Ireland

'You are through to the Eire Biotechnic, Freya O'Connell isn't available to take your call, leave a message and I'll get back to you…eventually' frustrated by another answering machine Nikki huffed loudly, waiting for the polite pause.

'Fe it's Geek, have you heard from Aub's recently? I've just attended a scene at her flat, there's been some kind of poisoning and you need to get here now. I'm not sure what's going on….' The answering machine clicked to a stop, the house was already empty, a hastily packed case missing from atop the cupboard.

Feburary 15th 2010 Cambridge, UK

Hurtling through the glass doors of A&E in North Cambridge General Nikki battled towards the reception desk, explaining her story in a brief few sentences.

'Aubery,' Nikki stormed through the doors to infectious intensive care. 'You have a patient, Aubrey Wills, I'm her Godmother, I must see her immediately.'

'Geek?' spinning on her axis Nikki felt the quaking body of a young woman press against her. Wracking sobs filled the morbid waiting room.

'You should have phoned me.' Ignoring the turmoil of her charge Nikki let the scold escaped before her mind caught up.

'Padrig….' The subtle Irish change became audible above quietening tears. 'He's on the….'

'Critical list, I know.' Navigating to a worn sofa Nikki soothed anguish away, trying to figure out the next step. 'It appears to be some kind of poisoning.'

'Arsenic' Aubrey smiled, 'my morbid interest in poisons stems from childhood.'

'I am blameless; Godmother's get some kind of free pass. Can you talk me through what happened, starting last night.'

'Pad was in the lab, he's doing molecular biology and bioterrorism. His lab work hasn't been going great- for weeks he'd come home stressed out and cranky. Yesterday though he got some kind of breakthrough; he can't say what it is he does, some kind of security thing or something. My flatmate is also in the same lab, she's jealous of our relationship. He mentioned pissing her off big time, that was before.' The girl paused, 'It was Valentines day and y'know'

Nikki nodded, trying to wipe the image of someone she used to change nappies for having sex. 'We decided to stay in as I've got finals coming up, I'd just fought off the flu and yeah. He went out for food whilst I took a shower and waited to speak to Tay, my flatmate. She'll come home in foul moods, but I'm supportive and listen to her, in limited doses. God I'm such a bad person, I drove her to this-'

'How do you mean.'

'She happened to appear with Paddy, helping him to carry the food upstairs. He'd stopped at the vintage bookshop I adore. I'd admired a book there last weekend, he bought it for me.'

'You loved to have stories read to you as a child.' Aubrey blushed at the memory, between tiring shifts as a junior doctor Nikki would appear with a book in tow. It always calmed her inner moral unease, with bright eyes Aubrey listened attentively, giggling at the twists and turns of Peter Rabbit.

'The shop wraps their books in old-fashioned brown paper, complete with ribbon. Between preparing veggies and marinating the steak Paddy lifted me on the producing the book, he spoils me so; in a moment I thought was private he and I got a bit carried away.'

'Where was Tay at this point?'

'She appeared mid make out, huffing and puffing that we used too much hob space or something…I don't even know.' An alarm stole her attention, the room was filling with doctors as a monitor beeped in alarm. Trying to stand up Aubrey felt a grip stop her, Nikki grabbed at her writhing hands. 'Let me go, I need to be with him. Please, NO!'

Nikki could feel her own heart breaking, the situation was grave and her own knowledge and capability was powerless. The little girl she'd helped raise was experiencing an ache most avoid in a lifetime. 'You can't go in there. They need space.' She heard a gut-wrenching yell as her charge doubled over in pain.

'Aubs?' Releasing her embrace Nikki dropped to the floor.

'Ow,' a fever growing from deep within raged through with agony that would overcome conscious. Feeling the chaotic world drift into a background of white noise and oblivious calm.

'I need some help over here.' Nikki held onto the limp hand, wiping at a brow drenched in sweat. 'You don't get to do this.' She could feel a pulse waxing and waning beneath a gentle touch.

February 15th 2010 Cambridge, UK

Light had become a distant memory; the moon grew high above a bustling crime scene. Harry was curious and angered in breaths coming fast and heated. He was irritated that Nikki hadn't told him of her Goddaughter he figured they were good enough friends to share that kind of information. He had opened the door to a slightly embarrassing childhood passion, revealing the cause of a heartache no young boy should endure (a missed career as a pilot, for those that still cared).

'Harry? Why have I just driven out here on date evening?' Leo appeared, dressed in an identical white suite. His bag rattled lightly, revealing an empty state.

'I figured you would want to see this' he beckoned his boss toward the photo wall, pointing to the picture.

'Nikki? This isn't the victims room' he surmised the room wasn't that of the face down blonde still in the hallway.

'Nikki saw this and bolted from the room faster than you can say family. She had that look. She hasn't answered my phone calls, though I know she's up at the hospital, talking to the rooms owner.' Harry packed away his tools, cleaning the camera more thoroughly than normal.

'She'll have her reasons Harry'

'I didn't say she wouldn't Leo. I'm just worried for a friend.'

'No, you're pissed as hell you didn't know about this before. Let's go get some answers.'

February 16th 2010, Cambridge UK

The calm of night had descended with a weighty curtain of dread. Crumpled on a plastic chair Nikki was sure scoliosis would occur before any improvement happened. Rising to stretch her back she noted, with futile hope, no improvement. The bed's occupant was amidst a narcotic nightmare, alternating between a silent whimper and audible names.

She hadn't noticed the two men hunched over the plated window, knowing who they were without focussing her exhausted eyes.

'Can I come in?' Leo had already crossed the threshold.

'You are already.' Nikki retorted, her gaze half fixed on the monitors. 'Harry's pissed with me, isn't he?'

'Understandably he's a little vexed' Leo moved a chair in close. 'Who's our mysterious lady then.' Twenty somethings' were still in that awkward stage of being young women who were often unwilling to accept such a grown up title.

'Aubrey Wills, my Goddaughter.' Nikki suppressed the proud smile. 'I was hoping to introduce her in more appropriate circumstances.' Doing some simple math Leo was surprised at the relatively small age gap between mentor and mentee.

'University is such a wonderful time, Leo. You get a free pass to drink too much, prank one another, and sleep with whomever you fancy.'

'Meaning?'

'You're good at maths' Nikki chastised

'True, you can't have been very old,' Leo faltered, the choice of Godparent is personal; it's a projection of love that ensures that your own offspring will be cared for no matter what. Adults experienced in wisdom and, for the most part, stability are perfectly poised for such a role. Students, barely able to care for themselves are an entirely different case.

'The Catholic faith is a wicked demon sometimes; ####### children are still cast a horrific shadow.' Beyond the curtain she could make Harry out, his nose pressed against the window with a soft steam building beneath. 'I couldn't help but get involved. My father's abandonment….' Anger chorused through tears as gravity slammed another dancing blow.

'Take a break, grab us all some coffee' Leo smiled, reaching over to swat at the moisture falling delicately down Nikki's face, tiny shattered diamonds of a dream coating her skin with the delicacy of porcelain.

Harry opened the door, pulling her into his chest, closing the gap of uncertainty to a crevice. Her tears soaked into his shirt; his friendship accepting them like a sponge to water.