"This is ridiculous" Nikki chuckled as she looked out of the window at the pouring rain which they had walked out into after their lecture, the sky was dark and it looked stormy as the rain fell relentlessly "We were going to take you both out to Oxford" she then told Gabriela as she turned and smiled at her children who were playing with their new toys on the floor of the living room where she and Harry were, the lights on to combat the dark sky outside "But it's raining so we can't"
"Actually I'd rather spend the day here playing with them" Harry admitted from his position on the floor, Donovan on his lap as the one year old placed a colourful red plastic ball into one of his toys, watching in amazement as it rolled down the bright yellow slide which ran around the middle of the toy and then into the bottom where it was caught in the same bright yellow tray where other coloured plastic balls were. He grinned happily but Nikki couldn't help but smile sadly that he couldn't hear the rattling noises that the balls made when they rolled, she then shook her head and sat down on the floor next to Gabriel who was chewing on a plastic star he was meant to be getting into the box with the different shaped holes in.
"So would I" Nikki nodded, pressing a kiss to Gabriel's hair and then holding out her hand for the star. Gabriel stared at her hand and then looked up at her, grinning and waving the drool covered yellow plastic at her and then placing it on top of the box attempting to get it in the round hole. He soon began to get frustrated when the star wouldn't go in and Nikki chuckled, taking his small hand in her own and guiding it to the star shape, removing her hand as Gabriel pressed the plastic into the hole and grinned when it fitted. He then leant over and looked through the hole into the box before laughing and picking up the red circle from the floor next to him.
"What if it's raining tomorrow when mum comes?" Harry enquired as their children continued to play happily, Donovan still sitting on his lap "We can't let her stay here for the entire day, she'll drive everyone mad"
"Harry" Nikki giggled and shook her head as he chuckled "Anne isn't that bad"
"Nikki she'll spend the entire day quizzing everyone about everything in their life" Harry told her pointedly and Nikki couldn't help but nod in agreement "And the last thing they want is to be quizzed especially by a nosy woman like mum"
"It's a woman's prerogative to be nosey" Nikki grinned and Harry rolled his eyes at her "What? It is"
"Tell me about it" he muttered and kissed Donovan on the side of the head, the little boy placing another ball on the toy and watching it roll down the slide in amazement. "I saw Emily with a man this morning when I was on the way to the shop"
He was talking about one of the campus' shops which was only a five minute walk from their accommodation, one of them always going in the morning to get the papers so they could all read them.
"Tall, blonde hair?"
"Yes"
"Ah, that would be Bradley, he's in her main maths lectures" Nikki smirked and Harry chuckled.
"I thought she might have known him considering she had her tongue down his throat, or the other way around I didn't really stay too long to watch" Harry smirked and Nikki giggled at him, shaking her head. "What's he like?"
"I haven't met him personally but from what I've heard he's a really nice man, he'll have to be if he wants to date Emmy"
"How old is he?"
"Twenty one, a year old than her. Does Emmy know you saw?"
"No" Harry shook his head, letting Donovan off his lap as the boy stood up and toddled over to pick up the colourful balls which had come out of the tray at the bottom of the slide "I think they were trying to be discreet and it was early so I don't think they expected other people to be around"
"Still" Nikki smirked but then shrugged as Harry rolled his eyes.
"Women"
"What?"
"You're going to do and tell her about this aren't you and attempt to get some gossip from her"
"Harry my dear you wound me" Nikki placed her hand over her heart and Harry gave her an incredulous look "That you even had to ask me that, of course I am" she grinned and Harry laughed at her.
"See Gabriel" Harry addressed their oldest son as the boy walked over to him and held out the moon shaped block for his toy "Woman are a mysterious creature who men will never ever fully understand" he grinned as he pulled his son closer to him and kissed him on the cheek, Nikki smiling proudly at the both of them.
"What are you doing here?"
Nikki looked up from the textbook she was reading and smiled at Jennifer as twenty two year old walked into the kitchen where Nikki was writing notes from the textbook.
"I thought you had a lecture"
"We did but some friends offered to take notes so we could spend some time with the boys on their birthday, said boys also having just fallen asleep" Nikki replied and Jennifer chuckled, walking over to the kettle to make herself a drink "How was your lecture?"
"Interesting" Jennifer replied "And we got let off any extra work for the next week because Jarvis was in a good mood"
"Lucky you" Nikki chuckled as she continued to write her notes "We have a test on Wednesday which means we have to turn up and hour before we usual start our anatomy practical to do it before our actual practical lesson"
"That sucks"
"Yeah I know" Nikki murmured, sighing as she placed her pen down on the textbook and looked up at her friend "And we've got the tests before Christmas break haven't we, if we don't pass them with more than forty percent.."
"Relax Nikki, you're just going to stress yourself out" Jennifer interrupted and Nikki sighed again, nodding in agreement.
"I know. Now did you know about Emily and Bradley?"
"Who?"
"Obviously not" Nikki laughed as Jennifer sat down opposite her at the kitchen table, placing her mug in front of her.
"Sorry did you want one?"
"No I've still got mine" Nikki motioned to her mug and picked up her pen again.
"And who's Bradley"
"A friend of Emily's in her lectures" Nikki replied almost noncommittally as she started to write notes again "Harry saw them kissing this morning on his way to buy the papers"
"No way"
"Hmm" Nikki smirked and nodded, glancing up at Jennifer who was smiling and shaking her head "You know I'm defiantly not one for gossip.."
"But this isn't gossip, this is general talk about a friend's life" Jennifer interrupted and Nikki rolled her eyes, nodding once in agreement "Is he nice? Is he good for her because you know I won't see her hurt"
"From what I've heard yes he is nice but I've not really spoken to him to decide, he does look nice though, not one of those people that you look at and are instantly wary of"
'Just like Mumford was, he seemed nice' a small part of her brain told her and she quickly looked down at the textbook, gripping the pen in her hand tightly as she fought the lump in her throat.
"Are you okay?"
Nikki looked up at Jennifer and nodded, forcing a smile on her face.
"Of course I am, why wouldn't I be?"
"You just went very pale just then"
"I'm always pale" Nikki rolled her eyes trying to move Jennifer's concentration away from her "Anyway are you free tomorrow because Anne called this afternoon and she sounded terrible, ill I mean so she can't make it tomorrow. She doesn't want to pass anything on to us let alone the children here"
"Well apart from working my way through all the men quing at the door to get a piece of this single mother no I'm not busy" Jennifer joked and Nikki chuckled, shrugging.
"There's someone out there"
"Hmm, not first on my list at the moment"
"That's what Emily said to me"
"We still need the full story from her though"
"Of course" Nikki agreed with her friend "But anyway Harry has agreed to look after the boys while I go out for a few hours"
"Shit I can't" Jennifer then sighed as she looked at Nikki's textbook "I have a bitch of an essay to be in on Tuesday and so far all I've done is the title, I'm sorry"
"No it's fine" Nikki waved off her apology "That's a lot more important than going out with me"
"Nikki trust me I'd rather be out with you, weather be damned than writing this essay"
The kitchen door then opened and Harry walked in, smiling at the two of them as he did so.
"Georg just rang" he motioned out of the doorway in the direction of the phone which was in the living room, the phone was for all of them to use and the family members and friends they were still in touch with had the phone number so they could get in contact, that was how Harry and Nikki were able to catch up with William and Georg, and through Georg updates about Ada who hadn't phoned them at all "Wishing the boys happy birthday and telling us that there's a card on the way from with money"
"He didn't have to"
"I know, I told him that as well" Harry agreed as he glanced down at the page Nikki was on in the book, pulling a face as he continued "And he told me that William sent one as well with money too"
"When I see them next they're getting a slap"
"They'd both enjoy it" Harry smirked and Jennifer chuckled at his words "Anyway they gave me some money for my birthday as well"
"Yes but..that's not the point" Nikki mock glared at him and Harry nudged her gently "We could have gone to that lecture"
"Yes but would you rather be in there or here writing notes that are relevant?"
"Here" Nikki admitted and smiled as he gave her a triumphant look "Don't you start looking smug"
"I have to do it, I'm rarely ever allowed the chance to be right" Harry grinned and dodged out of the way as Nikki reached over to slap him on the arm "The abuse I get from the mother of my children and the woman I love" he mock gasped and Jennifer groaned.
"Excuse me while I vomit from the cuteness of it all"
Nikki smirked and stood up, quickly wrapping her arms around Harry's neck and kissed him fully on the mouth which surprised him before he wrapped his own arms around her waist and placed them on her hips, pulling her closer to him as he did so.
"You're both so mean" Jennifer pouted as she glanced at her watch, standing up as she did so "I have to go and pick Adrian up from nursery anyway"
"Okay" Nikki giggled as she broke away from Harry and nodded at her friend, her lover nuzzling her cheek with his nose before kissing the same spot.
"You know if you decide you want to go further please use your rooms and not the kitchen" Jennifer smirked and Nikki attempted to not feel completely sick at the thought of going any further. Before she could think of a reply Jennifer was already out of the kitchen, her laughter at what she perceived as Nikki being speechless from lack of comeback floating into the kitchen.
"I think that's a good idea" Harry murmured against her neck and Nikki tensed slightly, remembering the feeling of Mumford's lips on her neck. She panicked and pushed Harry away from her, shaking her head as he frowned in confusion "Okay"
"I'm sorry I just..have work to do" Nikki told him hesitantly, fighting for an excuse but she knew he would be suspicious, she had never acted like that towards him "Maybe later?" she suggested, forcing what she hoped was a hopeful smile onto her face. Harry smiled back at her and nodded, leaning down and pressing a quick kiss to her lips.
"Okay, whenever you're okay with it" he shrugged and Nikki almost cried. Sometimes he was too understanding for his own good. She knew he wanted to make love to her but he was too afraid of pushing her for his own needs, she hadn't even let him see her naked in the past week but she prayed he wouldn't say anything about that.
"Later" she assured him quietly but he just frowned at her.
"Are you sure you're okay? In the past week you've been..different" he told her in concern and Nikki had to look away from him and down at her notes to stop herself from breaking down. She knew she couldn't tell anyone, Mumford had told her that they'd be disgusted at her for what had happened, they'd think she was weak and dirty and even Harry wouldn't want to touch her ever again, he'd hate her for what had happened.
"It's just been the work load" Nikki lied as she sat down again "You know how it is, especially with the twins"
Harry seemed to buy the lie as he chuckled and nodded, walking over to the kettle to make himself a drink as he did so.
"I know, I don't think we could cope if they were young babies"
Nikki swallowed heavily and made a noncommittal voice in the back of her throat, forcing away frightened tears before turning back to her work as though nothing had happened.
