"Nikki?"
"Jack?"
His heart leapt – and so did hers – when he appeared outside the entrance to the overflow. Jack had used his initiative. The manhole they had entered through last time was unlikely to be open for maintenance again this time round – and he also knew that Nikki struggled with dark, confined spaces nowadays. It had not surprised him when he'd found that out – 17 hours buried alive in a box would do that to anyone. He had trusted his instinct and come to the overflow entrance – and there she was sitting and waiting for him. Hoping – if her happy and relieved demeanour when she saw him was anything to go by. Surely she hadn't thought that he might not come.
Jack moved into the darkness and enveloped her in a gentle hug. He didn't know how bruised she was from her earlier accident and didn't want to risk hurting her, but despite the bruises, the hug was welcomed and mirrored by Nikki – albeit with one arm.
She burst into tears. "I wasn't sure you'd want to come." She mumbled against his coat.
He hushed her softly "Hey shussssh, of course I came darling, why wouldn't I?" He rubbed her back soothingly. "Can we sit on the beach?"
"Yeah, ok" she agreed, taking his offered hand with her one good one, as he helped her out of the gloomy hole she'd put herself in.
"So what's wrong with your wrist?" He asked, once they were settled on the beach. He saw her astonished expression. "You needn't looked so surprised" He commented "I might not be the brilliant doctor you are, but I can read the signs. You're not using it, its obviously painful and it looks bloody odd"
"Oh" Nikki looked down at the wrist. "It broke – the car, you know." She shrugged but instantly wished she hadn't and winced slightly."I didn't think you needn't to know that bit on the phone." She confessed. "Anyway, you might not be a 'brilliant doctor' as you put it – but you're definitely a brilliant forensic scientist – the best one I know"
"Know a lot of forensic scientists, do you then Dr Alexander?" he teased, looking amused.
She giggled "well no, not really but-"
"This isn't what it looks like" Jack suddenly remarked, removing his coat, then to Nikki's amazement, also his t-shirt before putting his coat back on over his bare torso.
Rather unexpected but quite a nice eyeful! she thought to herself. "Ok. I erm..."
He smirked at seeing her speechless for once. "What did you think I was going to do?"
"Well, you said it wasn't what it looked like, so I thought maybe a dip in the Thames! – bloody mad in this temperature if you ask me!"
Jack began ripping his t-shirt into pieces.
"Wow. Ok, erm..." Nikki stated bemused, though she was secretly delighted to see his muscles flexing under his coat. It was a good look.
Jack grinned "Impressed?"
"I was already impressed" She admitted "You didn't need to ruin your t-shirt"
"I've got others." He shrugged "Your need is greater than mine...I do have a plan" He added sheepishly.
"Yeah, I can see that!" She chuckled as he proceeded to join some of the bits of material together.
"Can I have you hand – the one with the broken wrist" He asked and carefully used the ripped clothing to form a makeshift sling. "Just until you get it seen to properly."
"Oh thanks...I suppose, once I have full use of my wrist again, you'll want the t-shirt sewn back together"
It was his turn to look amazed "Well, I- you can if you want...I didn't know you could sew..."
Nikki chuckled "the things you don't know..." she snuggled up to him as the wind started picking up, and decided she needed to clear things up once and for all. "I split up with Matt before we went to karaoke."
"Y-you did? Why didn't you tell me?"
"I didn't deliberately not tell you, Jack" she sighed "You normally read me so well without me saying anything. I didn't realise you still thought I was with him until I overheard you telling Simone that yesterday. Then she was enthusiastically arranging a blind date and I thought maybe you'd be better off, I guess"
"How would I be better?" He murmured as she continued.
"Then this morning, I realised how much I'd hurt you and I hated myself for it. And what you said, I-" she trailed off sadly.
Jack turned her face to look at him. "Nikki – I said that because I was angry – and jealous. I didn't mean it."
"Jealous?" she questioned, astounded "You don't need to be jealous. No one else comes anywhere close to you, Jack. Not even a little bit."
"Really?" He whispered, emotionally.
"Really" she nodded. She hesitated and looked away before returning her gaze to him. "Do you regret kissing me?" Nikki was pretty sure he didn't regret it now, but she needed to hear him say it.
"Never" Jack responded fervently placing a gentle kiss on her lips. Nikki returned the kiss and smiled at him. "I just need to know" he whispered "Is your job safe? Cos you told Simone you were going, but she wouldn't tell me where. Where are you going?"
"I'm not going anywhere, Jack." Nikki confirmed "and my job is fine. I think it was more at risk from my own conscience than anything else. I was considering going back to Africa, but I don't know if I could of gone through with it – and I'd never leave unless you wanted me to."
"I never want you to leave" He mumbled.
She squeezed his hand with her good one. "I'm giving up the teaching. I'd rather be at the Lyell. Teaching was Thomas' thing not mine. I just wanted to make him proud."
"He is proud of you, Nikki" Jack told her. "As is Leo –in heaven"
"You don't believe in heaven" she pointed out.
"Well, wherever they are – heaven or hell or whatever"
Nikki sniggered. "Hell?! They wouldn't be in hell! Why would they be in hell?"
He shrugged and thought about it for a few minutes. "Leo's chair...was squeaky...and...Thomas had the worst taste in sofas!" He finally concluded with a grin. After a while, Jack kissed the top of her head "I do believe in heaven on earth – maybe we could do something about that?
"Yeah, I'd like that" Nikki agreed.
Jack appeared to have a sudden thought and indicated her wrist "Your car is in the Lyell car park and you clearly couldn't drive here, - and given that it's a bit far to run even for a wonder woman like you" He laughed as she gave him a playful but gentle smack on the chest "I'm guessing you got a taxi?"
"That's right...wonder woman? Seriously?" She replied
He pulled a slightly disgusted expression, pointing to her grazed face and hands. "The driver should have taken you to a hospital"
Nikki bit her lip "I told him I was a stunt woman and was wearing make- up."
Jack stared at her incredulously. "And he believed that?! Idiot!"
She chuckled "I guess I must have been convincing." She would have to keep an eye on Jack – or he'd be off hunting down the 'idiot taxi driver' at this rate.
They were distracted by a slap of water at their feet.
"Shit" They exclaimed in unison.
The two of them had been so wrapped up in each other that they hadn't noticed the tide coming in.