Disclaimer: I don't own Red Dwarf (I'm too tired to bother with a silly remark)

Author's note: This chapter really is a key chapter. I enjoyed writing the Kryten scene, purely because I haven't written one in sooooooo long.

"You know what they say," Nicole argued in desperation, "a problem shared is a problem halved!"
"I understand the theory," Rimmer yelled back, "but when the problem is shared with Holly--"
"Why is this so difficult for you? Why can't you just accept that I've told her? There's nothing much I can do about it, is there?" Nicole said incredulously.
"Well," Rimmer started more gently, "You could erase her memory. She wouldn't know a thing."
"Yeah, right, good plan," Nicole retorted sarcastically, "not that Holly isn't confused enough, let's erase the last couple of days too! Come on, Arn, use your head! This is a good thing!"
"How?"
This argument continued well into the night. It was three in the morning before Holly interrupted them.
"Alright, dudes?"
"Yeah," came two, disgruntled, unisonous voices.
"Problem, is there?"
"Arn thinks I shouldn't have told you about us," Nicole explained.
"Oh," replied Holly, unhelpfully. Rimmer rolled his eyes. This was exactly what he was talking about; Holly wasn't at all reliable. It wasn't that he didn't appreciate the released pressure, it was just he was so afraid that Holly would be true to form and accidentally let it slip. Nikki hadn't had as much experience with the 'senile' Holly as he had; he knew he was right, it was just hard to convince Nikki to think the same way.
"Don't you trust me?"
Rimmer turned to face the tenth generation AI computer, "No, as a matter of fact, I don't."
"You should."
"Why? Give me one good reason."
"Fair enough. You should trust me 'cos I haven't told a soul about...that problem you had...with your--"
"Yes, alright!" Rimmer interrupted forcefully. He avoided Nicole's stare at all costs. "Alright, fine, I trust you."
"Very good." And she disappeared.
"So," Nicole began cheerily, "what do you want to do?" she wrapped her arms around his waist, but he remained stony, "What's wrong?"
"I...I think you should go."
Nicole withdrew in shock, "Excuse me?"
"I'm still angry that you told Holly about us without consulting me first."
"What? I don't have to tell you everything!"
"Yes you do, if you're going to put our relationship in jeopardy!"
"Since when did I put our relationship--"
"Just go."
"Fine. Have a nice evening." She said icily. She turned. She left.

Kryten was busy with the dry cleaning when Nicole crashed into the room.
"Miss Adler? What are you doing here?" he noticed the streaky tear-marks on her cheeks and the way she was gulping for breath and immediately went into 'Mother-Hen Clucking' Mode, "Oh, Miss Adler, are you alright? What happened, ma'am?"
"We...I...I honestly don't know."
"Has something happened between you and Mister Lister?"
Nicole shook her head.
Kryten lowered his voice, "You and Mister Rimmer?"
Nicole looked at the sanitation droid, stunned.
"How did--"
"Oh, bolt me to the ceiling fan and turn it to full power! I'm so sorry, ma'am. I was cleaning up Holly's memory banks and I accidentally came across...it," He concluded feebly.
"Oh God," Nicole moaned running a hand through her auburn hair.
"So...what happened?" Kryten asked hesitantly. He knew his empathy was inept, but he couldn't just stand there and let her cry her eyes out without at least trying to talk to her.
"Oh, we just had a big stupid argument over something really minor," she said facetiously. Kryten had no idea what to say to this, so he awkwardly put an arm around her shoulders. He wished he hadn't allowed Mister Lister to erase his 'Coping with Depressive Females' software. It could have really come in handy here.
"Krytes?" she asked after a few moments, "have...have you ever been in love?"
"Once," he replied nostalgically, "Camille."
"What happened?"
"I'd rather not talk about it, if you don't mind, ma'am."
"Course."
There was another pause.
"I truly did love her, ma'am," Kryten impulsively continued, "I loved her so much, I had to let her go."
"God. I don't think I could ever give Arn up. I couldn't live without him."
"Hormonal imbalance," Kryten uttered.
"Sorry?"
"Er, nothing, ma'am."
There was yet another pause, before, "How did you know?"
"Hm? Know what, ma'am?"
"That you loved her?"
"I just did, ma'am. I got phases where nothing made any sense, then suddenly it did. Then it didn't again. My entire life revolved around her. I even started planning a future with her." He laughed wistfully, "Pretty dumb, huh, ma'am? She was far from perfect, of course. But she was all I ever wanted."
Nicole sighed, "I have to go talk to Arnold."
"W-was I any help, ma'am?"
"Yes, Kryten," she said firmly, "You really were." Then she turned and walked out of the door. Kryten returned to the dry cleaning, very much in 'Smug' Mode.

"I'm sorry," were the first words that Nicole said as she walked in the door to Rimmer's quarters - she didn't even know if he was in the room.
"Pardon?"
Nicole sat next to him on his bunk.
"I am so, so sorry. If I'd known it would hurt you I would never, ever have told Holly."
"Well..." Rimmer was absolutely clueless as to what to say. After a thirty-four second pause Nicole couldn't take it any more.
"Please say something."
"Are you really apologizing to me?" he asked skeptically.
"Yes. I want to make amends."
"But...we had a huge argument."
"It was just a stupid fight. It's been resolved now, we can get back to..." she ran out of words, so kissed him lightly instead. Rimmer, however, couldn't shake off his doubt.
"Really?"
"Really," she assured him, "That's just what happens: you fight; you make up; you move on. That's what happens in a relationship."
"Well, I wouldn't know that, would I," Rimmer said despondently, "I've never been in a serious relationship before."
"Well, you're in one now," Nicole said with a smile.
"Really?" Rimmer asked again.
"Really," she couldn't help but laugh, "Sweetheart, we've been sleeping together for two months; we talk; we laugh; we sometimes cry," she could feel herself building up to something, but she couldn't for the life of her figure out what it was, "I've never felt for anyone the way I feel about you. I can't stop thinking about you. Even when I'm with Dave, all I can think about is how I'm gonna get to see you. Stuff that never made sense in the past, suddenly...fits. And some other stuff has been completely messed up," she laughed and put her arms around his shoulders, "I live from one meeting to the next. My whole life revolves around you," this speech felt oddly and uncomfortably familiar to Nicole. Then she realised: "I love you."

Oh my God, did I just say that!? Nicole thought to herself.
Oh my God, did she just say that!? Rimmer thought to himself.

"I love you too."

Oh my God, did I just say that!? Rimmer thought to himself.
Oh my God, did he just say that!? Nicole thought to herself.

Then, without thinking anything at all, they spontaneously fell into each others arms and kissed passionately.

A/n: Awwwwww! Only two more chapters to go, thank God!