As soon as they got home Harry had taken Nikki upstairs, helped her change into her pyjamas and put her to bed. In that entire time she hadn't said a word.

Harry walked back into their bedroom and glanced over the bed where Nikki was curled up, facing away from him. He bit his lip as he walked over and crouched down next to the bed.

"Nikki, I have some painkillers for you" he told her softly and Nikki glanced at him and nodded before sitting up slightly and taking the glass of water and tablets from him before handing the glass back to him and laying down again. Harry pulled the duvet further up her body and pressed a soft kiss onto her forehead and unnecessarily smoothing her hair down, smiling slightly when she sighed softly and closed her eyes.

----

A few hours later and Harry was sitting downstairs on his laptop catching up on his paperwork but his mind kept straying to the woman in bed upstairs. He sighed loudly and linked his fingers together before leaning on them and staring up at the ceiling, worrying about Nikki. She had said barely five words since she had got punched and the last time he had checked on her she was asleep but still shaking. Harry was worried about her mental health and how this would affect her. He let out a sigh and closed his laptop before looking up and seeing Nikki walking into the room in her baggy pyjamas, her blonde hair a mess.

"Nikki. You should be in bed" Harry told her and went to stand up but Nikki walked over to him and climbed onto his lap and curling up. Harry wrapped his arms around her and pressed a kiss onto her forehead before running one hand over her hair. "How are you feeling?"

She just shrugged.

"Do you want some more painkillers?"

She shook her head. Harry took the opportunity to check out her face and saw that it was slightly swollen and looking a bit purple.

"Wait here" he whispered before standing up and placing her on the chair before walking into the kitchen and coming back a few minutes later with a small bag of frozen food wrapped in a small tea-towel and picked Nikki up gently and put her back on his lap again. He then held her tightly against him and pressed the towel against her nose. Nikki let out a small scream and tried to shove him away but Harry held her tightly against him even as she started crying with the pain.

"No" she sobbed "Please Harry" she begged, tugging on Harry's heart "It hurts. Stop hurting me" she yelled the last part and shoved him away before climbing off his lap, tears streaming down her face as she backed away.

"Nikki I'm sorry, it will help" Harry told her as he stood up but she shook her head and started sobbing loudly.

"You hurt me" she shouted and Harry shook his head and threw the tea-towel on the table as he walked towards her but she backed away until her back hit the wall.

"I'm so sorry" Harry whispered as he gently gathered her into his arms, surprised when she wrapped her arms around his waist and clung to him.

"I know" she whimpered as her bottom lip trembled, her body shaking "Can I have those painkillers?"

"Of course you can beautiful" Harry told her "Do you want to go back to bed?"

"No" Nikki shook her head "I'll sit down here"

Harry just nodded and led her over to the sofa where she curled her legs under herself and Harry covered her with s blanket and pressed a kiss onto her forehead before walking out of the room to find painkillers. When Harry came back in he handed Nikki the tablets and water before sitting down and letting her move closer to him, she took the tablets and Harry put the glass on the table. Nikki draped one arm over his stomach and rested her head on her husband's chest.

"He always was violent" Nikki told him, her voice slightly impaired by her bruised nose and Harry ran his fingers gently down her cheek. "and he used to have ways of getting people to do what he wanted"

"So do you" Harry told her with a chuckle "One look from your eyes and I'm practically bowing down at your feet"

This made Nikki chuckle loudly and Harry grinned at getting her to laugh.

"He always used to do the nice guy routine until they either caved in and he got nasty, or they didn't and he still got nasty"

"Don't think of him" Harry told her "Jennings has arrested him for assault, it should go down well with his previous drug convictions"

"Good" Nikki nodded "I can get on with my life now?"

"Of course you can" Harry nodded "Are you sure you don't want to go to the hospital?"

"No I'm fine. It's just a bit sore that's all"

"I love you" Harry told her as he leant down and pressed a kiss onto her lips

"and I love you" Nikki nodded and gave him a smile as she rested one hand on his cheek and stroked it gently with her thumb "Take me to bed"

-----

The next morning Harry walked into the kitchen just to see Nikki downing tablets that weren't painkillers. She looked up at him and then at the floor, ashamed of herself.

"Nikki" Harry sighed as he walked over and lifted her chin up with two of his fingers and pressed a kiss onto her lips "Don't be ashamed"

Nikki just shrugged and threw the bottle of anti-depressants on the table before turning away from him.

"I don't want to take them anymore Harry, I hate them. But after yesterday..." she took a deep breath and Harry leant back against the counter next to her and crossed his arms over his chest.

"You won't have to see them any more soon because he's getting locked up and your father isn't brave enough to come and see you on his own. Not with all of your police friends"

"Victor" Nikki told him as she turned her head to face him "Not my father, Victor"

"Well they were the source of most of your.." he paused

"Depression Harry, you can say it" Nikki smiled and Harry leant over to kiss her before shrugging

"They were the source of your depression so maybe you'll wean yourself off them"

"Wean myself off them?" Nikki repeated with a laugh and stepped in front of him with a grin on her face, the purple of her bruise more noticeable than the day before "What am I? A baby?"

"Well speaking of babies" Harry told her with a smirk and a raised eyebrow as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her flush against his body, Nikki looping her arms around the back of Harry's neck. "How about we go and practice making one"

-----

"Nikki dear how are you feeling?" Sylvia asked that evening as soon as she walked into the house, completely ignoring Harry who had opened the front door for her. Nikki just grinned at Harry over Sylvia's shoulder as he rolled his eyes.

"I'm fine mum thanks" Harry told her sarcastically

"Well you weren't the one who was hit round the face" Sylvia responded before turning back to Nikki and gently placing a hand on the younger woman's face. "How are you?" she asked again

"Sore" Nikki replied "And I can't breathe properly"

"It's not broken is it?" Sylvia asked, concerned for her daughter-in-law as she glanced at the slight purple mark on her face.

"No" Nikki shook her head and suddenly gripped Sylvia's arm and closed her eyes.

"What's wrong?" the older woman enquired, Harry being in the kitchen.

"Don't worry" Nikki replied as she sat down on the sofa "Just felt a bit dizzy that's all, it's normal for the anti-depressants I have" she patted the sofa next to her and Sylvia sat down with a concerned look on her face "I had to take some this morning. First time in a while"

"What are they doing about him?" Sylvia enquired as Harry walked back into the room and handed them both their drinks "Thank you"

"Thanks" Nikki nodded to Harry as she cradled the drink in her hands "They've charged him with assault" she told Sylvia who smiled slightly.

"Good" the older woman replied "That's the least they can do"

"It'll hold up well with the drugs convictions" Harry added as he walked into the room carrying his own drink and seating himself in the armchair. Nikki just nodded and glanced down into her mug, stirring it slowly.

How come everywhere else in the country has epic snow and we have none down here? :( I wanted a snow day so I could do fanfics..when I'm meant to be revising ;)

xxx