Jack
I can't help wondering why Nikki hasn't followed, but I suppose she's trying to gather herself. Our interrupted conversation was an emotional one. I was glad when it was over.
I'm examining the evidence David has found, when I hear her screaming.
"Jack!"
She sounds terrified and I almost trip over my forensic case trying to get to her quickly enough.
"Nikki?" I yell when I reach the steps where she was before. It's like Mexico all over again – me yelling her name, but she's not there. She's not anywhere – no where I can get to anyway.
There's no sign of her and there's a large gap in the railings. I feel sick and dread to think what I'm going to find as I speed up. My breath catches in my throat when her hand becomes visible – clinging on to the edge.
"Nikki!" I fall onto my front to try and pull her up.
"Jack" She gasps, the tears of terror dripping down her face. She glances down automatically. "My hand's slipping!" She cries - a new fear of heights overwhelming her.
I grab the wrist I can reach. "No, no – don't look down." I implore her to be brave. "Hold on – I've got you. Can you grab my hand?" But she's programmed her mind to grip on with the only hand she has left on solid ground and it won't let go for anything – not even me.
I walked away from her ten minutes ago and before that, I had been ignoring her for months. I thought it was for the best, but she now believes that I don't care. She has no reason to listen to me.
She no longer trusts me and she's terrified of falling.
"Nikki, I know I've behaved badly towards you and I'm so sorry. I wish I hadn't, but I need you to trust me." I urge her desperately. "Please."
Time is of the essence – I know she can only hold on with that one hand for so long.
I manage to catch her eye and banish the thought of what 'might' happen from my mind. Such things are detrimental at the moment. I hold eye contact with her and tighten my own grip on the wrist she's hanging by. I stretch as far as I can to try and reach her other hand.
"Nikki, come on!" I beg her. "Reach! I won't let you fall."
That's what she needed to hear and from somewhere she manages to summon the strength to reach up with her free hand, grasping mine on the second attempt.
Nikki, it seems has new-found courage after having some of her trust in me restored. My other hand is still firmly around the wrist holding on to the wall and she suddenly has the confidence to let go of the wall and grab onto my wrist instead.
Hanging onto the wall was the only thing preventing me from completing my rescue and pulling her back up. Now that she's taken that leap of faith, I can haul her up and out of danger.
We both collapse - half on the thin grassy verge, before the drop that nearly claimed Nikki, - and half on the steps.
I hug her tightly. "You ok? You ok?"
"Yeah." She breathes out. "Thanks."
We're interrupted by a sudden round of applause. We look up – astounded, to see David Cannon clapping and grinning like a Cheshire cat.
"What the hell?!" I retort indignantly. "Nikki could have died – and you think it's funny!"
"Yeah" Nikki agrees "You could have come and helped!"
"You two were doing beautifully on your own." He sniggers "Come and look at the evidence properly –whenever you're ready!"
Nikki tightens her grip on me, as he walks away - sensing that I'm debating whether or not to go and punch him.
"Idiot!" I growl under my breath.
"He's not worth it, Jack." Nikki tells me firmly. "The truth is he's the reason I came back early. The police suspect he had something to do with Sally's disappearance and they asked me to 'keep an eye on him"
"They had no right to ask you to do that" I state through gritted teeth.
"Thomas knows" She informs me. "He had to agree to David working at the Lyell. I didn't want to come back yet, but the police didn't really give me the chance to say 'no'."
"I hate the police!" I fume fevourently.
Nikki chuckles. "I know you do!"
I glance behind me at the drop she narrowly avoided. "So er...what happened here?"
"Teenagers" she shrugs. "They ran past and knocked me into the railings – which turned out not to be fixed in the ground."
"Did they not stop?" I ask, appalled. "How dare they just run off and leave you hanging like that."
"I don't think they noticed they'd knocked me, Jack" She reasons gently "They didn't leave me hanging there on purpose."
"Unlike David 'bloody' Cannon!" I seethe, referring to the man who literally stood and watched without helping.
"Yeah" she agrees "– listen, I want to tell you something. I didn't tell you before, cos I think it's unfair. You went through it to and you just have to carry on like nothing happened."
And I wouldn't pick up the phone.
She stops, suddenly realising that she's gone off on a tangent and I don't have a clue what she's talking about.
"I've got PTSD. I'm having therapy." She explains. "I need you to know that it wasn't your fault what happened out there – you didn't put me in that box – and what's more, you kept me sane by talking to me on the phone. I honestly believe that I wouldn't be here without you." She tells me gratefully. "You did save me – and you've just saved me again."
Nikki took a leap of faith and grabbed my wrist. Now I need to take one and forgive myself.
