Chapter 4
Jesse slipped his arm around Nicci's waist and kissed her cheek. To him, she was the most beautiful being in the world, especially when she slept. She looked so peaceful and serene.
He slid out of bed and pulled on a pair of black bottoms. He looked at her once more and slipped out the door to wards the bathroom.
Just as he stepped out of the room into the hall, Brennan walked around the corner. Brennan smirked, "I see you finally got some." "Sshh!" Jesse whispered, "For your information, I haven't 'got some' yet. Nicci says she isn't ready, so I'm respecting that."
"Then what are you doing sneaking out of her room in the middle of the night. It's like you've snuck into her house and are sneaking out before her dad catches you."
"We're sleeping in the same bed, that's all. We're not having sex."
"So you're sleeping with her, but you're not sleeping with her."
"Yeah, something like that."
Brennan continued towards the kitchen and pulled out two bottles of water. He threw one to Jesse, who sat down and began to unscrew the lid.
"So you and Nicci." Brennan said after he'd gulped down half the bottle. Jesse smiled, "Yeah… me and Nicci."
"Do you think it'll work?"
"What?"
"Well, given your history. Jesse, you have a track record for short relationships."
"This one is special. She's special. There's something about her. Brennan, I have never felt this way about anyone. No matter what's happening she makes me feel great; like I can do anything. She looks so small and helpless, but she's so strong and powerful. She overpowered both me and Emma yesterday."
"She's a fireball all right. The only person she can't seem to beat it Shalimar."
"Shal will always be the strongest. And speaking of Shal, when are you two going to stop stalling?"
"What?"
"When are you guys going to get it together?"
"I don't-"
"Brennan, it's obvious you like her. I don't know about her, but you should definitely give it a go."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Yeah, okay." Jesse lifted his bottle and stood up, "Just think about it. Goodnight Brennan."
"Goodnight." Brennan replied distractedly, lost in his own thoughts. Jesse smiled and went back to bed.
* * *
Nicci pulled a screwdriver from the toolbox and rolled under the control units in the Helix. She began to unscrew a panel and looked at the circuit board underneath. "Or above, whatever you look at it." She murmured, laughing at her own joke.
"What are you laughing at?" Jesse crouched down and tickled her bare stomach. Nicci batted his hand away, "Nothing. Pass me the goggles, solder & soldering iron."
Jesse did as he was told, "What's wrong with it?"
She put the goggles on, "One of the wires seems to have disconnected the landing controls from the main circuit board. Which is why you couldn't seem to hold it yesterday."
Jesse nodded, "Yeah, okay. By the way, you look great in those goggles." His eyes twinkled mischievously.
"Shut up," Nicci replied, "Oh for…" She slid out from underneath and pulled off the goggles.
"What's wrong?"
"Burnt it." Nicci shook her hand and sucked on one of her fingers. Jesse took the finger out of her mouth and looked at it, "What have I told you about wearing gloves with that?"
"Yeah, yeah." Nicci replied. Jesse led her out and into the kitchen. He turned on a tap and placed her finger underneath it. After a second, Jesse rubbed at his ear, "Can you stop breathing on my ear; it's irritating."
Nicci smiled and blow on his ear on purpose. Jesse turned the water off and glared at her. She blew again. He grabbed her around the waist and pulled her towards him for a passionate kiss.
Nicci smiled, "Maybe I should get hurt more often." Jesse shook his head, "Don't say that."
"Why?"
"Because I can't bear the thought of anything happening to you."
"Nothings going to happen to me. I'm fine. I just enjoy those kisses."
"But it's like tempting fate."
"Jesse?"
"Yeah?"
"Shut up." Nicci kissed him again, "Let's get back to work."
* * *
Nicci grabbed the doorframe and swung half her body into the living room, "Hey guys, anyone seen Emma?"
She stopped as she did a head count. There were five people in the room, but Emma wasn't one of them. Instead, sitting beside him, was Brennan's pride & joy.
"Hey squirt," she leaned over and ruffled Connor's hair, "When did you get here?"
"Hey," Connor smiled back at her, "A couple of hours ago. You and Jesse were working on the… what do you call it… the um… aeroplane type thing… um…"
Shalimar smiled, "The Helix."
"That's it; the Helix. You and Jesse were working on the Helix." Connor smiled sweetly.
"And how is it possible that I didn't know you were here? Jesse, you must have seen him at some point."
"Yep."
"And why didn't you tell me?" Nicci went to punch Jesse playfully on the shoulder, but he grabbed her wrist and pulled her down onto his lap.
"Because," Jesse ran his hand up her thigh to her hip, "You were in the shower and I went in right after you. If you had have let me shower with you-"
Nicci clamped a hand over his mouth and feigned shock, "Jesse Kilmartin! There is a child present!" She winked mischievously at Connor and kissed Jesse's lips, "But I gotta go find Emma, I need to ask her something."
* * *
Nicci wandered into the kitchen to find Emma sitting on a stool, her head in her hands.
"Em? Are you okay?"
Emma looked up, tears in her eyes. Nicci didn't need to enter Emma's head to know why she was upset. "Oh God, Emma." Nicci rushed over and put her arms around her, "When?"
"This morning," Emma whispered, "He left this." She handed Nicci a tear-soaked letter.
Nicci read it aloud, "Dear Emma, I hate to end things this way, but I don't think I could have born your reaction. For weeks now nothing's been right. It's obvious that Adam and the rest don't trust me, not even Nicci. And sometimes even you don't seem to trust me. You used to confide in me, but now you're never near. But that might be because you don't love me anymore. I don't think you ever loved me. Even when we started dating, I knew your heart wasn't there, wasn't with me. It was somewhere else. But that doesn't matter anymore. I'm going to do what I should have done years ago. Tell everyone that I'm sorry for what happened. Tell Nicci I never meant for her or anyone else to get hurt, all I wanted to do was help you all and I'm sorry. And that's it. That's all I have left. But you need to know that I loved you, until the end. All my love, Josh."
Nicci looked up at Emma, "Em, I'm sorry. I know you loved him, he obviously thought you had a change of heart. It was my fault, I shouldn't have treated him the way I did after Jesse's accident."
"No, that's just it. He was right. It was the one thing I could keep hidden, even from you. I didn't love him. I loved someone else." Emma bowed her head and whispered, "I still do."
Suddenly Nicci felt a pain flash through her head and she saw an image. An image of a man she knew only to well. Emma was telling her who it was she loved. Nicci gasped and looked at Emma, "Are you serious?"
"I know what you're going to say. I've been telling myself the same things, but…"
"No, I think its right. I think you two should be together, no matter what effect it has on others."
Emma wrapped her arms around Nicci's neck and began to cry. Nicci slipped her arms around Emma's waist and cradled her like a child.
"Guys, we have a problem," Brennan said as he and Jesse entered, "God, Em are you okay?"
"She's fine," Nicci told them, "Now what's this problem?"
"Apparently there's been a security breach at Genomex," Jesse told her, "Either someone is breaking in or breaking out. Either way, Adam wants us to check it out."
Emma's head had shot up while Jesse talked and she and Nicci looked at each other, saying in unison, "Josh."
"What?" Brennan asked.
"Come on," Nicci grabbed Jesse's wrist and sprinted towards the Helix.