A bit of a shorter chapter but I might post something else to make up for that! Thank you once again for all your amazing reviews you guys are seriously the best :)
It was the next morning when Jack pulled himself out of bed, although he hadn't actually got that much sleep. Most of the night had been spent staring up at the blank ceiling whilst Nikki lied next to him peacefully. He had tried to concentrate on the sound of her breathing in and out in an attempt to distract him from his thoughts. But there was nothing stopping the cogs turning around in his brain.
Walking into the kitchen, he filled the kettle up before switching it on. His eyes glanced over at the clock on the oven, 7:46. He sighed, bracing himself on the counter. This was going to be a tough day, he could already feel it. And this was only the start of it. He could feel his head pounding against his skull, his dad had been ill before but he was always fine in the end. But now, there was a chance he could actually lose him. And he knew what that felt like not too long ago and it nearly broke him.
For weeks after that fateful day, Jack couldn't wipe the image of Nikki and his father standing there at the window, unable to come in and be with him. Touch him. Comfort him. They were kept apart from him, the only form of contact through the phone lying on the bed next to him. It had been the best that they could do at the time but Jack would've given anything just to have had them sitting next to his bedside, with him in his possible last moments. If it wasn't for Thomas his dad would've lost him that day. And now here he was a couple of months later and it's going to be him losing his father.
He knew the day would come eventually and he'd already lost his mother, it was just a matter of time. But the world had to be really sick and have this happen just when he thought he couldn't be any happier. This time yesterday he was on top of the world. Engaged to someone he didn't think he could love anymore than he already did. They were going to be moving in together soon as well. They really couldn't let him have at least two days where something didn't go wrong. But here he was, trying to think of ways to pull himself through what may be the hardest couple of months of his life.
At least he had Nikki now. Of course, even if they weren't together she still would've supported him endlessly. With everything that had happened she would go out of her way to do everything for him, she was just that sort of person. Selfless. But now that she was here, next to his side at every given opportunity, she'd be able to be there for him when he was at his lowest, just as she had been last night. He didn't want to think about what would've happened if she wasn't there, probably at hospital having to get his face stitched up.
"Are you going to make a cup of tea or are you just going to stare at the counter?" A soft voice spoke, pulling him from his thoughts. He hadn't even noticed that the kettle had finished boiling. He almost felt himself jump as she laid a hand on his arm. "Jack."
He looked over to her, his position on the counter meaning he wasn't having to peer down to her. His lips twitched fondly. Her hand travelled down his arm coming to rest on top of his own hand, "Come on, what do you want?" She whispered. "Tea?" She offered when he didn't answer.
Jack nodded slowly, quickly missing the contact as she moved away from him to grab two cups from the cupboard. Wanting nothing more than to be close to her, Jack came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her petite frame and nuzzling his face into her neck, leaving behind gentle kisses. Nikki smiled as she leaned back into his chest.
Turning around in her arms to face him, her hands cupped his cheeks. Reaching up, her lips brushed his before pulling back. Her eyes connected with his as her thumb ran along his cheek. "Jack, I was thinking," she started. "I know we said that we would leave it for a couple of years but with what's happened, I was wondering what you would think if we were to start planning this wedding for a little sooner?"
Her eyes searched for an answer but he wasn't giving much away, "Are you sure?" Fell from his mouth.
Nikki nodded, trying to gauge his reaction. At this point she couldn't tell if he was on board with the idea or totally against it. She was hoping that it was the former but she had a pretty good feeling that she was right. Given the circumstances, there wouldn't be much of a reason as to why he would say no to this idea. She got her answer from the tiny hint of a smile gracing his face.
His lips were soon crashing into hers, taking her by surprise. Her hands travelled to land on his biceps in an attempt to steady herself as his mouth moved against hers. He released her eventually, breathing heavily as he gazed down at her.
"I love you so much," he breathed. "Thank you for that."
"I want him to be at this wedding as much as you and I know that this would be something that may cheer you up right now," Nikki replied. "We don't have to set a date right now of course but let's just say a month and a half? We still have to start moving your stuff into mine so once that's all sorted then we can concentrate on that."
"Sounds perfect," Jack stole another kiss quickly before moving away from her. "I'm just going to ring my da', tell him the news and see how he's feeling this morning."
Nikki returned to making the two of them their drinks, calling out to Jack before he left the room, "Don't forget to ask about his appointments."
It was a week later when Jack had officially moved in with Nikki. They had spent as much time as they could to get themselves organised and before they knew it they had packed all the stuff up and transferred everything over to Nikki's house in no time. Although Nikki had to keep drumming it into Jack that it was no longer her house, but their house. In between the chaos of moving and work they managed to find some time to start the planning of their wedding. Neither wanted something over the top, just a few of the people that were the closest to them.
They had settled on just having a registry office but they were yet to decide on a date. They needed something soon so Conor would still be able to attend - and would be well enough to give Nikki away and a date that would allow them to get enough time to get everything done.
They had told Sam straight away about the situation who had instantly offered them some time off but they both refused. Both needing their job to ground them amongst their currently hectic lives. Although they had been pretty quiet at the Lyell, or at least Sam was taking on as much of the workload that she possibly could. And despite the job providing them a useful distraction it did allow them to sort everything out quicker than if the Lyell was a lot busier.
Jack had pretty much been on the phone to his dad every five minutes, checking in on him to make sure that he was okay and taking the right medicine when he needed to. Nikki had found it quite endearing and it just went to show how much Jack really cared. Conor, on the other hand, had told him in not so many words to "bugger off" and to only call him if absolutely necessary. He was over the moon that they had moved the wedding forward though. It was one of wishes to see his son get married before he had to leave them - he wasn't about to tell Jack that however.
Nikki was now sitting at her table searching through ideas for what she could wear. She didn't want some oversized, in your face wedding dress. Rather something that was a bit more classy, a bit more her. She hadn't got far when Jack was coming up behind her, resting his chin on her shoulder.
He pointed a finger at one of the dresses on the screen, "I like that one," he spoke.
Nikki flicked her head to him, "Really? It's quite expensive."
"Anything for you," Jack winked, pecking her on the lips before moving away from her. He walked around the kitchen, opening cupboards, peering into them in the hope of finding something he could snack on.
Nikki gazed at the picture on the screen, it was a long flowing dress with all kinds of flowers decorating it. It wasn't too dissimilar from dresses she already owned but this one was a lot more high end. It would have to be for the price it was going at. She noted down the name of the shop in the notepad that sat next to her, she would have to see in person before she made a decision. And luckily for her, the website she was looking at had a shop in London, she just had to hope that it was in stock there.
"Have you thought of a date yet?" Nikki called out, continuing to scroll through the websites trying to find something that would be somewhat more within her price range.
Jack initially shook his head but quickly realised that Nikki wasn't looking in his direction, "No," he said.
"How would you feel if I said two weeks today?"
Jack furrowed his brow, "Really?"
"Well, I may or not have already booked the registry office," Nikki grinned, hoping that Jack wouldn't protest too much about this.
"You've done what?" Jack asked, slightly taken aback by this sudden news. He knew, of course, that this wedding was going to come a lot sooner than first imagined. But in two weeks time he was going to be married? He was shocked but not completely deterred by the idea. The only slight doubt that he had was that he knew Nikki. As much as he loved her and he was as sure that she loved him, she didn't exactly have a good track record when it comes to relationships.
She had walked away from a relationship more times than he had hot dinners. She always hated committing to something and this was a big commitment. She'd always reassured him that he was different to everyone else but how could he be sure that she wouldn't just leave him because she's scared.
He just had to remind himself that it was Nikki who was suggesting all of this. She was really the one who asked him to marry her - or at least she had said yes before he had even asked. She was also the one who said to bring the wedding forward. Of course he had been thinking it and he had wanted to ask her what she thought but just like before she beat him to it. And now here she was, suggesting they actually go through with it all in two weeks time.
Her voice was pulling him from his thoughts once again, "I know it's all so sudden. Sorry Jack, I thought that it would be what you wanted, with everything that's going on."
"No, no it was what I want," Jack was quick to reassure her, making his way to sit on the chair next to her. He took hold of one of her hands in his own. "I just need to know that this is what you want. Don't do it just because you think it will make me happy. I know we want to speed things up for the sake of my dad but you need to be ready as well. I don't want you to rush into anything and then end up regretting it."
"Oh, Jack," she rested her free palm on his cheek. "I've never been sure of anything in my life. And I know this is coming from how I've dealt with my relationships in the past. But please know that you are different to anyone I've ever been with. I love you Jack and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. And no, I'm not saying that to make you happy or because it's what you want to hear right now. I'm saying it because I mean it."
"Sorry," Jack sighed.
"Don't apologise, you have every right to feel like that. You know me better than most and you know what I'm like," she smiled gently. "I can only hope that what is going on right now is proof enough that I want to be with you and only you."
Jack leaned forward capturing her lips with his.
