When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears
When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears
And I held your hand through all of these years
But you still have
All of me

You used to captivate me
By your resonating light
Now I'm bound by the life you left behind
Your face it haunts
My once pleasant dreams
Your voice it chased away
All the sanity in me

These wounds won't seem to heal
This pain is just too real
There's just too much that time cannot erase
I've tried so hard to tell myself that you're gone

The next few days seemed to go so ever slowly. The first night at the hotel had been awful, Nikki had lied in bed not believing all that had occurred, still thinking that it was a mistake and that she would wake up the next morning and Doug would say sorry. The next morning Nikki had woken up with a pillow that was wet from tears. She had reached for her phone only to find nothing. No missed calls nothing to suggest that Doug had missed her. The shower that she had taken, the breakfast and coffee that she usually enjoyed in the mornings had lost their appeal on her. She did it, just because it had to be done. That day she had looked for houses and had early on in the morning found one. She had called up the agency and they had an open door today. So she had agreed to go and see the house. When Nikki pulled up and got out, she could feel a sharp ache in her body and tears came to her eyes. She had quickly blinked the tears away and walked to the front gate. 40 minutes later, she had put down the rent for the house and signed on the dotted line. She then decided that it was late enough for her to go and see the kids, they would probly be at home now.

When Nikki pulled up at the house, she remembered all the fond memories of it and shook her head. Could she believe that it was all over. The girls were late from getting back so it was just Doug and her. She told him about the house and he agreed that the girls could come over in a few days once she had moved in. When the kids came home they were estatic to see Nikki and were excited to hear that she had found a place and that they were going to see it. At the end when she had to go, Doug made the message clear that there was no chance of them getting back together. That night, Nikki cried herself to sleep.

Nikki pulled up outside the house and the girls ran into the garden and waited for Nikki to unlock the door before they rushed inside. It was ten minutes before they showed again, only to tell Nikki how they loved their new rooms. She had then spent all day yesterday furnishing the rooms. So after work today she had picked up the girls and they were now going to spend the night at her place, as they were going on school camp tomorrow for five days.

That night they cooked in the kitchen and then went to the park just down the street. Whilst the girls were playing Nikki saw someone walk into the park. Only this person was familiar. No it couldn't be. She looked over at the girls and they were still playing happily. She looked over at the person who had seen her and was making her way over.

"Nikki"

"Diane."

"This is a bit far out for you ain't it."

Bec only had to come over at this minute and hear this.

"No mum lives just down the street now."

Diane shot Nikki a questioning glance.

"I didn't realise you guys had moved."

"Doug hasn't."

"mum can we get ice cream please."

"There is a good little corner shop that sells ice creams down the street." Diane said then walked off.

Nikki shook her head and led the girls down the street to the ice cream shop.

The next morning after getting the girls off to camp, Nikki was in the changing room when Diane walked in. Nikki looked around but they were alone.

"You wouldn't mind not mentioning the fact to anyone else would you Diane."

"Of course not Nikki."

Just before Nikki walked out of the changing room Diane spoke up.

"Nikki, here is my address and number if you need. I've been there before remember." Diane said handing her a piece of paper.

"Thanks Diane." Nikki said putting the piece of paper in her breast pocket, so she wouldn't lose it.

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The next day at work went by quickly and before they knew it, they were all down the pub having a drink.

When it was time to go home, Nikki was going to catch a taxi as she had had a few drinks when she felt someone next to her.

"Can we share the cab." Diane asked.

"Yeah, saves me some money."

Diane just smiled.

On the way home they didn't really talk. Each lost in their own thoughts. One thing that Diane was not looking forward to was going home by herself, that was one thing she already hated. As the car pulled into the familiar neighbourhood. Nikki spoke up.

"Diane, could you come over tonight please."

Diane didn't say anything but just nodded. So when they arrived at Nikki's house they both got out and Nikki led the way.

They had settled into the couch with a cup of tea, before Nikki even started to relax.

"It's hard isn't it" Diane asked. Not specifically asking anything giving Nikki the chance to answer as she wanted.

"So hard."

"Well the first few months are always the hardest, it gets easier trust me."

"Thanks, one week in, that's just what I need to know, that it isn't going to get easier."

"It will Nikki, you've come so far already, and if you let people in now. It helps a lot more. Trust me I learnt the hard way."

Nikki looked at Diane and knew that she was telling the truth.

"Thanks."

"Nikki I've been here before, that's why I want to help. I don't want you to make the same mistakes I made."

"Sometimes we need to make mistakes."

"Yes, but not the ones that we don't have to make."

At this both women smiled and Nikki found herself relaxing even more, something she would never have contemplated doing in Diane's presence. Perhaps it was because it was Diane another divorcee not the P.C Noble whom she didn't get along with.

"I can't believe that I have accepted all of this so easily, I thought that I would be fighting down to the bone, but somewhere the other night. I think that I accepted it." Nikki said out loud.

"Our minds work in mysterious ways, perhaps it realised that you had to move on, had no choice."

"Wish my heart could work the same way."

"Now the heart is a different matter." Diane said smiling.

"Did you ever get over your son's dad."

"Yeah, it ended badly, so it wasn't as hard."

"Still hard though."

"Course."

At this Nikki yawned and Diane got up.

"I think it is time that you went to bed, you look exhausted, and I should be going as well." Diane said.

Sensing Nikki's resistance at her leaving Diane spoke up.

"Nikki do you want me to stay the night."

Seeing Nikki's shock she quickly continued.

"I know that it can be hard being by yourself for the first while."

Nikki looked shocked and without thinking she nodded her head.

Later that night as Nikki laid in her bed thinking the night's event's over, she didn't know why she had accepted Diane's offer. The loneliness yes of course, but that had not stopped her being alone before now. To these thoughts she fell asleep.

Meanwhile Diane was lying in the bed and thinking. She Diane Noble had actually been nice to Nikki. The sgt that she never got along with, It must be because she could relate to her on this topic, something that she couldn't do with anything else they talked about. Although it was still a shock that Nikki had broken up with her husband.

"Well Noble, you've offered your help, now you have to stick to it." Was Diane's last thought before she drifted to sleep.

My Immortal - Evanescense