THANK YOU!

Seriously, I am amazed at the reviews, and that this is still getting read.
I do promise that it will start to progress soon... Just need to get the jigsaw pieces out before it can start to be put together :D

A special thank you to Ann1119, EmmaJ1996, savingthestars, pinkswallowsun, gem.S, HNfan1992 and Thyqua for reviewing the last chapter. Another hug being sent your way :D

xXx

Chapter 4 – Are you ticklish?

Leo stared at his computer screen, a list of reports that were due in front of him. With a sigh he counted the number of reports that were due from Harry, and was unsurprised to find that it was almost double the amount that was due from Nikki. And he knew for a fact that unlike Harry, Nikki would be working on her paperwork whenever she had the time. He understood that they had been busy recently, Leo had reports due himself, but Harry seemed to be far too easily distracted.

Moving to stand at his office door, Leo could see Nikki sitting at her desk reading a report, with Harry standing close behind her. Both were unaware that Leo was watching, and he could hear Harry tapping his fingers on the edge of Nikki's desk.

Stretching out his arm, Harry poked Nikki in the side of the ribs, before whipping his hand back to his side.

"'What was that for?" Nikki squirmed, looking up from her report.

"Nothing," Harry smiled. "I was bored and wanted to know if you were ticklish."

"Hmmm,' Nikki mumbled, looking back to the reports. "Well, now you know."

Harry laughed and continued to tap his fingers on her desk once again, before reaching out in Nikki's direction, poking her in the same spot as before.

"What was that one for?" Nikki sighed, as she jumped back again and turned towards Harry, but even Leo could see the smile that she was trying to hide.

"Well I had to be sure," Harry said matter-of-factly, before leaning closer to her and adding, "And I love annoying you."

Nikki rolled her eyes, and turned away again, scanning the papers.

From his office doorway, Leo could see Harry move closer to Nikki, and could tell that he was not planning on doing work any time soon.

"Harry," Leo called to him, just as Harry stretched out his hand to annoy Nikki again.

Harry turned at the sound of his name, his expression mirroring that of a young child that had been caught doing something he shouldn't.

"Have you finished the Collins report?" Leo asked, knowing that it was still sitting on Harry's desk.

"You mean the one that's due by tomorrow morning?" Harry asked, and Leo nodded. "Of course I have. Finished it ages ago. I'll make sure it's picked up tonight before I leave."

"Good, there are a couple of things getting picked up at about eight I think. It can go with them" Leo said. Sometimes he really did feel like he managed a class full of children. And yet there was that part of him that knew that he wouldn't have it any other way. He doubted that he would still be working as a pathologist if it hadn't been for his colleagues.

"We have a suspected identification for the bodies found by the river by the way," Leo added as Harry made his way back to his desk. Both Harry and Nikki turned around at his words. "Jennifer and Ray Yates. Jennifer's sister will be in later to formally identify them."

Harry nodded slowly, and sat down at his desk, finally taking a report from his to-do pile. Leo had a suspicion that it was the Collins case that was apparently finished and ready to post, but he wasn't going to interfere. Harry was a brilliant pathologist, and his reports were always thorough. He just needed a push in the right direction before he finished them.

The phone in Leo's office began to ring, and he left Harry frowning at the report to answer it.

Harry sighed heavily as Leo disappeared into his office. The Collin's case was sitting on the top of his work pile, yet when he opened it, he was surprised at how much he still had to do. Why had he left it so late? He was going to be here all night if he had any chance of completing it. If he got in early enough he was sure he could catch the early pick up before Leo noticed that it hadn't been sent today.

Leo appeared from his office with his raincoat on and his case in his hands.

"That was DCI Maddox," he informed them. "There's been another body found, not far from the case this morning actually. Nothing to say that they are related, but still, they need someone there."

Nikki nodded, yet Harry continued to stare at his case notes, trying to work out where to start.

"Harry, you're going to have to do the identification later," Leo said. "As you've finished your report, it shouldn't be too much of a problem."

Harry leant back in his chair, running his hands through his hair.

"Nikki," he smiled.

"No Harry," Leo said sternly. "Nikki should be at home seeing as she's been working since this morning. You can do the interviews."

"I've been working since this morning too," Harry complained.

"Yes Harry. Your idea of work is considerably different to mine. Anyway, you were on call. You had yesterday off because you were on call. Nikki didn't," Leo smirked. "Her name is Julia Lyons. She'll be here within the hour."

Harry nodded to Leo as he left the office, waiting for the door to shut before resting his elbows on the table, and his head in his hands.

"Damn," he muttered to himself. He knew his attention span was bad, but with no sleep it was going to be even worse.

Nikki reached her hand over her desk towards Harry, still not looking up from her report.

"Pass it over," she said, and when there was no response from Harry she looked up at him. "The Collins case. Pass it over."

Harry did as she asked, and watched as she tucked it underneath the report she was working on, confusion etched on his face.

"You haven't even started it," she told him when she noticed that he was still staring at her. "I'm nearly done with mine, and you have the interviews to do. I'll send them off together before we go."

Harry smiled as he realised what she meant, and moved round to her side of the desk.

"You're the best Nikki," he said, placing a soft kiss on the top of her head as she looked down at her case notes again.

"I know," she replied. "You can cook me dinner later to say thank you."

Harry stood behind her, watching as she scribbled some notes across a separate sheet of paper.

"Harry. Go and make sure the bodies are ready for identification. I can't work with you leaning over my shoulder," sighed Nikki.

"Right," Harry said, moving away from her desk. "Thanks again Nikki. I'll cook your favourite tonight."

Nikki watched Harry disappear through the door and let out a breath that she didn't realise she had been holding. She hadn't wanted him to leave, but it was true. She couldn't work with him standing over her. Not because he was practically leaning on her shoulder, no concern for her personal space. That she was used to. Harry often stood so close to her that she was sure she could hear his heart beat. She expected it of him. But the smell of his aftershave and the warmth of his body so close to hers made it almost impossible for her to concentrate. And now that she had two reports to finish, she really did need to concentrate.

The case that she was currently reading over was that of a young woman that had been found the previous week. There were certain cases that really got to Nikki. Well, the more she thought about it, they all touched her in some way, but there were some that just didn't make any sense, and that got to her the most.

Watching someone identify a family member was always hard. But what was even worse was not being able to tell them why it had happened. Why their life would never be the same again. And that it was the decision of someone else that the life of their loved one had ended prematurely, for no apparent reason. This was one of those cases.

Nikki could easily tell the parents the details of how their daughter had died. The young woman, Ruby Wilson, had been raped, strangled and stabbed, then left in a deserted side street in London. She was found the following morning by a shop owner who had taken a short cut through the streets to get to work. The pictures of the crime scene showed the blonde Ruby lying in the side street, alone and helpless, her blood painting the street a sickening red. That was the easy bit to explain. She had died from strangulation. And after being stabbed, there was little chance that she could have escaped before her attacker had ended her life.

But why their daughter had ended up dead? That was a much harder question to answer. Her parents had reported her missing the week before when she had failed to turn up for a planned shopping trip, and wasn't answering her phone. She was a twenty four year old secretary. Was never involved in drugs. Had never had a serious boyfriend. There was no apparent reason as to why she had been targeted. And this terrified Nikki. The thought that there were people capable of ending a life just for their amusement. That they could destroy the lives of so many people just for the thrill of killing.

Nikki had to shake herself slightly. It was not her job to find out why it had happened. That was a job for the police. She had to write the report explaining the physical evidence of how she had died, and hope that the police could use the evidence to track whoever was responsible.

But the thought that the person, or people, were still out there, ready to send another body to the mortuary whenever they got bored, with no thought of the lives they were destroying. It made Nikki shiver.

Taking a deep breath, Nikki turned to her computer, ready to write up the report, determined to make sure that it was as detailed as possible for the police to follow. She sighed when she remembered that Harry's report was waiting underneath. From now on she was going to make sure that Harry did his own paperwork.

Yeah, like that was ever going to happen.