Chapter 10: Safety In Numbers

"Harry, go to work or you'll be late," Nikki scolded. It was the next morning and Harry had just dropped Nikki off back at her house, and had insisted on walking her up the path. He was now stood with his arms around her waist, pulling a face at the idea of going to work.

"I don't want to," he moaned.

"If it's any consolation I don't want you to either. But you have to," Nikki grinned.

Harry sighed and after giving her another quick kiss he let Nikki go.

"I'll come round and see you during my lunch break," he told her.

"Good. Bring Leo," she replied.

"Leo? Why?"

"Because I want to see him," Nikki sighed, noticing the disappointment in Harry's eyes. "Go! I'll see you later."

Harry blew her a kiss and climbed into his car. Nikki waited until it disappeared around the corner before she went into her house, locking her front door behind her. This time she tried to ignore the frightened feeling she had, and instead marched straight through to her lounge. It helped that it was sunny out, and also that once she'd made the phonecall that she was about to make, she knew she wouldn't be alone.

Nikki found the Yellow Pages that was buried under numerous work papers on her desk and flicked through it until she found what she was after. She picked up her phone and dialled.

"Jones' Security Systems; this is Gloria speaking, how may I help you?"

"Hi. I'm enquiring about getting a burglar alarm fitted in my house," Nikki explained. She scribbled down some different alarms and prices on a pad of paper as Gloria reeled off a list. It was soon arranged that one of their workmen would arrive at Nikki's later that morning. Nikki then made her second phonecall.

"Hello?"

"Hi, is that Abbott's Locksmiths?" she asked into the phone.

"Yes, how may I be of assistance Madam?" a young-sounding man replied.

Nikki took a deep breath. "I'd like to get my locks changed."

Once she'd hung up the phone, Nikki didn't really know what to do. She'd thought that making those calls would have taken longer, and she still had an hour until the man who was fitting her alarm was due to arrive. Until then, Nikki was at a loss for ideas. There was always going out to get the food shop; she didn't really want to stay in her house alone. But the food shop was boring. What was there that she could do for an hour.

Eventually Nikki decided that nipping down to her local supermarket and getting a few things might be quite useful. She had just tried to get herself a cup of tea and had discovered that there were no biscuits.

With a weary sigh, she picked up her bag and keys and left her house.

Her car was sitting in her driveway. Whilst Nikki had been in hospital the mechanics had fixed her car and even driven it back to her house. It had come with a hefty bill – despite her insurance – but as Nikki's car was so essential to her work, she'd decided that it was worth it.

It looked as good as new. There wasn't a scratch on it. She didn't know what she'd been expecting, she hadn't seen the damage that had been done in the accident, but Nikki was almost surprised that there wasn't even a hint of a dent.

However, as soon as Nikki sat in her car, something happened. All she could see was the road where she'd had her accident, even with her eyes wide open. She gripped the keys in her hand so tightly that they dug in as Nikki looked out of the passenger window. The face of PC Andy Bowen seemed to jeer and loom in at her, so much so that Nikki's chest became tight. She felt tears leak from her eyes as she tried to focus on her driveway but couldn't. All she could picture was her being forced off the road, hurtling through the trees.

It was too much for Nikki. She tugged at her door handle, but it wouldn't open. A soft scream escaped her lips as she banged on the window, but then saw that the door was locked. She must have done it without realising when she squeezed the keys. As quickly as her violently shaking hands allowed, Nikki unlocked the door and flung herself from her car. Her breathing was shallow and painful as she leant against the closed car door, clutching her chest. She swallowed hard, trying to regain control of her lungs and stop the tears that were pouring down her cheeks.

Having her medical degree, Nikki knew exactly what had just happened. She'd experienced a panic attack. Sitting in her car had triggered all those memories that she had tried to bury, and forced them to surface until they were screamingly clear in Nikki's brain. But this was ridiculous, she thought. Not only was she terrified of being in her house alone, but she was now unable to use her car!

After taking a deep, shuddering breath, Nikki slowly walked over to her front doorstep and sat down, enjoying the cool winter breeze on her hot face. She had to get past this. Driving was a crucial part of her job. But surely it was normal to be experiencing what Nikki was going through after what had happened to her. After all, it was only just over a week ago.

Nikki remained sat on that step until the security man arrived, but she convinced herself that she was enjoying the fresh air and that it had nothing to do with her not wanting to be in her house alone. The man in question parked his van at the end of her drive and walked up it with a large toolbox. He flashed her a puzzled smile.

"Are you okay love?"

Nikki took a deep breath and stood up. "I'm fine thank you. Just getting some air. Are you from Jones' Security Systems?"

"Yep. Name's Dave. Now, what d'you want doing?" he asked her. He was a middle-aged, balding man, who was rather large around the middle. But he seemed friendly enough. Nikki opened her front door and let him in.

"I want the best burglar alarm that you've got. The most reliable and the safest. I don't care how much it costs," she explained. Dave looked a bit startled, but he quickly recovered.

"Well, we 'ave two five-star alarms, both do slightly different things, but-"

"Install both of them," Nikki interrupted.

"Both of 'em, Madam? Y'know, one is really enough-"

"Look, I am the one paying you here," she said roughly. "It is my house, and I will decide."

"Okay Madam, right you are. I'll install both. It could take a while though," Dave told Nikki.

"That's fine. I'll be here all afternoon," she said, glad to have the company. "But I've got a locksmith coming at about one, I hope that won't be a problem?"

"No, that shouldn't be any hassle. They don't take long, do locksmiths."

"Good. Well, call me if you would like a cup of tea or if you have any questions," Nikki said.

"Actually Ma'am... Do you mind me asking why you want all this done? You been burgled recently?" Dave asked tentatively.

"No. I'm just being cautious," Nikki smiled. "You can never be too careful these days."

Dave clearly thought Nikki had gone mad, but he didn't say anything else. A satisfied smile spread across Nikki's lips and she went into the lounge, flopping on the sofa with a magazine.

*

It was half-one by the time Harry and Leo finally arrived. Nikki could see them getting out of Harry's car from her lounge window. She bit her lip nervously when she saw their puzzled expressions at the work she was having done. Both the locksmith and Dave were still here. Not only was she having her locks changed, but she was having a manner of other security measures attached to her door, and Dave hadn't even finished the first alarm.

"Nikki?"

Nikki heard Harry and Leo fighting their way through the mess of toolboxes in her hallway, and they finally stepped into the lounge.

"What's going on?" Leo asked her.

"It's just a few additional safety measures," she said innocently.

"Why?"

"Because I don't want someone to creep into my house and murder me in the middle of the night," Nikki replied, tutting at Leo's display of stupidity.

"But Nikki," Harry said. "You don't need all this stuff. I mean, what is that? A burglar alarm?"

"Two burglar alarms," Dave put in, sticking his head into the room. Harry turned to him.

"Two?"

"Yes mate. I did tell Madam that one would do the job, but she insisted on both of 'em."

Harry looked at her exasperatedly. "What?" Nikki cried. He just sighed and shook his head before turning back to Dave.

"Have you put the second one in yet?" he asked.

"Not yet. I've only just finished the first," Dave replied, seemingly glad to speak to someone more sane.

"Well forget about the second," Harry told him. "You can leave now. Thank you."

"What?" Nikki cried. "No he can't! Harry, this is-"

"This is ridiculous is what it is!" Harry exclaimed. Dave was loitering in the doorway looking a bit awkward.

"What d'you want doing Sir?" he asked Harry. Harry looked imploringly at Leo, who nodded and left the room, putting his hand on Dave's shoulder and steering him away before snapping the door shut behind him.

"Who the hell do you think you are telling me what I can and can't have in my house?" Nikki shouted at her boyfriend.

"You do not need two burglar alarms," Harry said calmly.

"Yes I do! I don't want someone breaking in!"

"Yes, because they'll be able to do that with the hundreds of locks on the door," he said sarcastically. This just fuelled Nikki's anger.

"Harry, someone has tried to kill me three times now! I'm sorry if I'm maybe being a bit paranoid."

"I want to help you, Nikki. But you have to let me in, not shut me out like you are at the moment!" Harry exclaimed.

"I'm not shutting you out!"

"You didn't tell me that the reason you wanted to come back to work so early was because you're petrified of being in your house alone, did you?"

Nikki momentarily faltered. "I- It's not... I'm-"

"Over and over again you tell me that you're fine, when clearly you're not!" he cried.

"You don't know how I'm feeling," she said in a dangerous tone. "No one's ever tried to kill you."

"I do know that you need to speak to a counsellor," Harry persisted. This was the final straw for Nikki.

"Oh here we go," she shouted. "This argument again!"

"Yes, this argument again. How long are you going to deny that there's something wrong?"

"I. Am. Fine. The reason I don't want to be in my house alone? I'd rather be wherever you are," Nikki lied. "Because I've finally found something so fantastic, that I don't want it to stop for even a moment."

Harry was looking a bit sheepish, so Nikki continued.

"Maybe I was being a bit melodramatic, asking for two alarms. But I know there are plenty of people out there that wouldn't exactly mind if I died; it comes with the job. And my house is the first place they'd come looking! I just wanted to feel a bit safer, that's all."

It wasn't really lying. Well, the first part wasn't. But it seemed to do the trick, because Harry walked over to her and laced his fingers through hers.

"I'm sorry for shouting at you," he smiled. Nikki hooped her arms around his neck and pulled him into a hug.

"I know," she whispered. "Stay here tonight."

It was clear that Harry was trying his hardest not to frown or say something at his, but he obviously wanted to avoid another argument.

"Okay," he smiled, pressing his lips to hers.

Right. The next chapter is going to be the peak of Nikki's breakdown, I think. It might be rather angsty and depressing, just to warn you! I'm not entirely sure how I'm going to write it yet though, so bare with me! Review please!