The inertia that had plagued Harry in the courtroom suddenly evaporated and he flew along the corridors and out into the street and to the coffee shop they were in earlier. The late afternoon sunshine was bright, and his eyes found the interior of the shop too dark at first to spot her. Instinctively he looked across to the table they had shared earlier. She was there. Tears streaming down her face.

Harry's eyes gradually became accustomed to the darkness and he was aware of a couple of people close enough to see Nikki, looking awkwardly into their table, not knowing whether to ask if she needed help or just be British and carry on with their own coffee. One older lady looked particularly relieved as she realised Harry was heading over to Nikki's table.

He sat down opposite her and pulled one hand away from the face and gently held it in his. She could be crying for joy, but even he could see that wasn't the case. How he wished he could just hold her in his arms and make everything bad leave them alone for once. It used to work he mused, back when things were just complicated and not as they were now. For an instant way back then, he could pull her into his arms and they could shut out the whole world and just be content the two of them together, for an instant. But there wasn't even a word for what they were now; super-complicated maybe. There was bound to be a good German word to describe it, one of those really long ones.

"I thought he was the one," Nikki said sadly.

"I did too," Harry agreed.

"How could it have gone so wrong?" Nikki asked.

'Because he was a pathologically controlling psychopath with a side-line in violence,' thought Harry, but he knew better than to say it out loud.

"None of this was your fault Nikki, you did not bring this on yourself," Harry said sternly.

"Some of it, I did," she mumbled.

"Nikki!" he chided, but rubbed his thumb across her hand in what he hoped was a comforting fashion.

"What's wrong with me?" she asked, staring him straight in the face for the first time. "How could this happen to me?"

"Come on, Nikki. Let's get you home. Is your car here?" Harry asked unwilling to answer her question.

"No, I got the bus," she said.

"Come on then, I'll take you home."

"Don't let me stop you going out to celebrate," Nikki said suddenly as they walked up to his car.

"Don't get me wrong Nikki, there are many things I am relieved about, even happy about but nothing of what has gone on here these last few days is worthy of celebration, not with all the heartache and pain that is behind it all. Maybe in a month, but now, tonight I just want to be able to go to bed and sleep without worrying about you, or me or what tragedy the next day is going to bring," Harry explained.

"You worry about me?" Nikki asked, knowing the answer but needing to hear it from him again tonight.

"You know I do," he confirmed and put his arm round her shoulder, pulling her towards himself as they walked along together.

"Always," he added and kissed the top of her head for emphasis.

"You look exhausted," Nikki said later, as Harry pulled up as close to her building as he could, and was still illegally stopped in front of an access road. It was a fabulous flat, but the parking was a nightmare.

"I am; he admitted," running a hand through his hair. "Are you going to be ok?" he asked.

"Not for a while," she admitted.

"Do you want me to come in?" he asked.

"No, I'll be alright, and you'd probably not find a parking space closer than your house anyway. Thank you Harry; thanks for everything," she said, giving him a quick peck on the cheek.

"You're welcome," he said and smiled warmly at her as she got out the car.

"Harry?" she called, reopening the door she had just closed.

"Did you forget something?"

"You said in a month," she began.

"I said what?" he interrupted.

"That we might feel like celebrating in a month," she continued.

"I don't think this is ever really going to warrant a celebration is it?" Harry asked glumly.

"Let's do something though, it'll be the summer solstice or near enough, let's do something just the two of us. Please?" she begged.

"That sounds lovely," he admitted.

"See you at the office," she said.

"Good night, Nikki, see you tomorrow," Harry replied.

He watched her walk up the road to her flat. When he lost sight of her he started the car and drove slowly up the street. She was waiting in the doorway, the door open behind her to wave at him. It was such a familiar routine, and yet tonight Harry could rest easy knowing that not only had Nikki made it back to her flat safely but that there was no longer any danger lying in wait behind the door. For the first time in a while he felt the muscles in his shoulders and jaw, begin to relax.

See, it's almost fluffy, well getting that way.