Paper Flowers

Chapter 3

Jack glanced up from his report as the door buzzed to indicate a visitor. He'd felt much better since that morning, when he'd spoken to Nikki, held her in his arms. It felt like coming home after a long trip away, exciting and comfortable and right. Being with Nikki, holding her and reassuring her they were still a pair had felt right, like there was nowhere else in the world to be. They'd stayed wrapped up in each other's arms for several minutes, until they'd heard the sounds of Thomas arriving for the day and hurriedly parted, shooting each other embarrassed smiles for the situation they'd almost been caught in. They'd worked in comfortable silence most of the morning until Thomas had assigned Nikki a non suspicious death to do a post-mortem on. He checked his watch. She should be finishing up soon, and then he could ask her if she wanted to get some lunch with him. He blinked as the door buzzer went again, glancing round to try and spot either Thomas or Clarissa, with no luck.

Heaving himself up, he ambled over to the door, only to pause in shock. Victor Alexander was stood impatiently on the other side of the glass doors. Jack's hands balled into fists instinctively at the sight of the man who had been the cause of such horrors in Nikki's childhood, who still had the power to upset her so. Silently reminding himself to stay calm, for Nikki's sake, Jack hit the door release and opened the door a little. "Can I help you?" He was actually quite proud of himself for the neutral tone.

Victor glanced at him before looking round once more, searching. "Where's Niks?"

Jack swallowed down the urge to tell him she preferred to go by Nikki, instead shrugging. "Getting changed, I should imagine. What do you want? I can tell her you stopped by."

Victor shook his head, slipping past Jack into the lab, leaving the tall man blinking in surprise at his audacity considering he couldn't possibly be so blind as to his daughter's feelings towards him. "I want to see my daughter." Victor told him firmly. "Maybe take her out to lunch."

"She has lunch plans." Jack replied, hoping Nikki would play along should she appear any time soon. He just knew she'd prefer to go to lunch with him than her father.

"Ah, well maybe dinner then." Victor shrugged genially. "So, you're Jack. A friend of my daughter's?"

Jack nodded reluctantly, not wanting to give the man any information he could use against Nikki. For he didn't believe her running away was only down to what she'd said, or simple teenage rebellion. No, her feelings ran deeper than that, and Jack knew a manipulator when he saw one. "Nikki's my best friend." He offered up, trying to make it about his relationship to Nikki rather than the other way around. He firmly ignored the tiny voice trying to remind him that love was weakness. In this case, his love was trying to protect her from whatever scheme this man was playing. That wasn't weakness, was it?

Victor nodded. "I'm not surprised. My Niks has always been headstrong, loves a cause. I'm so proud of her, you know, and everything she's achieved. She's everything to me."

Jack grit his teeth together, Nikki's words about how little her dad had ever been there for her, how little he actually cared, echoing through his mind. His hands balled up into fists again, trying to fight the urge to bury those fists in his best friend's father's face. To hurt him for hurting Nikki. "You should leave." He ground out.

Victor's eyes narrowed even as Jack redistributed his weight to look even more imposing than usual, something he usually actively tried to avoid, especially at work. Alright, he could admit that really it was especially around Nikki. He hated the idea that he could ever scare her, so he took steps to make himself as unthreatening as possible. It was deeply ingrained after so long working with her now. "I think you need to calm down. And stay away from my daughter. She doesn't need to be hurt by you."

"What?" Jack growled in response, stepping forward slightly. He fought down his temper, trying his utmost to stay as calm as possible, though he didn't know how much longer he could, with Victor stood right there, warning him away from the one person he'd sooner die for than hurt.

"Jack?" Nikki appeared in the lab as if on cue, fastening the cuff of her blouse from her shower. "Are you coming with me for lunch?" She glanced up then, catching sight of Jack's tense, fight ready form and the anger flickering over his features. Victor was stood nearby, but she barely noticed he was there, rushing over to Jack's side in immediate concern. Jack felt his muscles relax immediately as her fingers touched his arm, his temper instantly further under control. Her other hand slid down his arm to cover his hand, her slender fingers slowly uncurling his fist to slip her hand into his. "Jack, look at me." She urged softly.

Jack's eyes tore away from Victor to the petite blonde at his side, all of his features softening. He couldn't help it; it was just the reaction Nikki held over him. "Nikki. I…"

"I know." She offered him a gentle smile. "But trust me, it's not worth it." Jack's free hand moved to her arm, squeezing the limb gently in thanks and appreciation for her.

"Niks, Niks, you need to get away from him." Victor interrupted, an unwelcome interruption that had both Jack and Nikki's heads turning to him, though they were still holding each other. "You're not safe with him."

Nikki let out a snort of amusement. "Are you talking about Jack? I'm always safe with Jack. He'd never hurt me."

"You don't know that. He was seconds from trying to hurt me as you walked in. He's dangerous." Victor pressed. Nikki's hand tightened on Jack's, though who she was trying to reassure, no one knew. She shot her father a disdainful look.

"Dad, shut up. You've no idea what you're talking about. Jack would never hurt me and I have never ever thought he would. You should go; you're just making this worse."

Nikki and Jack both stiffened instinctively as Clarissa and Thomas entered the lab, deep in conversation about something or other, though they trailed off as they found Jack and Nikki holding hands, Jack's free hand on her arm, a few steps from an irate looking Victor, who pasted on a jovial expression as soon as he spotted them.

"What's going on?" Clarissa asked warily, recognising the poses of her two friends immediately. Jack had been close to losing his temper and Nikki had been calming him down. So whatever was going on wasn't good.

"Oh nothing much. I was just here to invite everyone to dinner. My shout." Victor proclaimed with a grin that didn't reach his eyes. "I want to get to know the people so close to my daughter. I'm so very proud of her, you know."

Thomas nodded, smiling along. Both Nikki and Jack tried to shoot him warning looks, but he either didn't see them or ignored them. "Of course, yes, that sounds great. You've probably got a lot of stories about Nikki as a child too."

Nikki nearly laughed at that, but a squeeze from Jack's hand helped her hold it in. "I don't think we'll have the time." She tried, only for Thomas to wave her protest off.

"Nonsense. Shall we say seven? Gives us enough time to finish up."

Victor nodded. "Of course. I'll meet you all outside at seven and we can walk to the restaurant." He smiled round at them all. "Right, well, I'd best be going. I'll see you all later. Love you Niks."

"Bye dad." Nikki returned unwillingly, all eyes on the older man as he left the lab. As soon as he'd left their eyesight, Nikki tore away from Jack's hold in the opposite direction of her dad, small, measured steps that somehow portrayed her agitation anyway.

Jack shook his head as he stepped over to Thomas and Clarissa. Clarissa glanced between Jack and the space Nikki had disappeared through. "Jack, what was all that about? I thought you still weren't speaking to Nikki."

"I went to see her last night and we made up this morning." Jack shrugged. "There's some very good reasons Nikki doesn't want her dad here. I can't believe you roped us all into a dinner with him, Thomas."

"He can't be that bad." Thomas protested. "I mean, look at how well Nikki turned out."

Jack scoffed, stepping away with a roll of his eyes. He couldn't specify why they were so against the dinner without giving away some of the things Nikki had told him, or that he'd deduced. To divulge either felt like a betrayal of the blonde and he wouldn't do it. "Let me guess, we still have to go to dinner tonight." He sighed as Thomas nodded and Clarissa looked unsure. "Fine, whatever. Can I go find Nikki now?"

"Sure. I still think you're making this a bigger deal than it needs to be though, Jack." Thomas waved him off and Jack wasted no time in running off in the direction he'd seen Nikki walk off in. He needed to make sure she was okay.

Nikki kicked at the ground ineffectually, scuffing the sole of her shoe along the tarmac of the car park. It was the staff car park and she knew Victor had walked away in the opposite direction, and she'd needed air, so she'd gone to the rooftop car park to get out of the way before she lost her own temper. It was quite rare for her to lose her temper nowadays, but her dad really did bring out the moody teenager in her and make her want to scream and shout at the world. She kicked at the ground again, trying to work away her temper at Thomas agreeing to the dinner without taking into account that at least she and Jack didn't want to do it. If it had been Leo, she knew he would have kicked her dad out in an instant, but then Leo was more her dad than Victor ever had been. Plus, he and Harry had met him before, knew the stunts he would pull on her. Selling her out to the papers and Kim being prime examples. She'd barely touched on her reasons for keeping her dad out of her life the night before to Jack, but she knew he'd worked out there was a lot she hadn't told him and he was firmly on her side. His whole demeanour when she'd walked into the lab when her father was there had proved that. Letting out a bitter sounding noise, she hit out at the railing, shaking her hand as the metal made contact with her skin and stung.

"You at least should wrap your hands before hitting things."

Nikki jumped at the sound of Jack quite close behind her, having not heard him follow her outside. Turning, she took note of his sympathetic expression as he reached out, taking her now hurting hand in both of his, examining her knuckles closely. "Jack?"

"Hmm? Your knuckles will probably bruise, but that's about it. Lucky you didn't put all your feelings behind it or I'd be driving you to A and E right now." He looked up with a rueful smile. "Feel any better now?"

"Not really." She admitted, leaning back against the same railings she'd hit as Jack let go of her hand to stand beside her, gazing out onto the car park. "I miss Leo." Nikki murmured after a few moments.

"I know. Me too." Jack shuffled a little closer to her. "You know, when I first started working here, I actually thought Leo was your da."

Nikki let out a tiny laugh. "Leo was the closest thing I ever had to a dad, a proper dad anyway." She glanced up at him. "You really thought he was my dad?"

Jack nodded. "Yeah, at first. Then I heard him mention something to do with your parents and realised he wasn't, you two were just super close father and daughter without the blood relation. I'm guessing Leo met that idiot."

Nikki nodded miserably. "Yes, a few times. He and Harry had to pick up the pieces every time Victor would do something else and then leave again. Sometimes I think they hated him more than I did." She blinked in surprise as Jack's arm moved smoothly round her shoulders, all but tucking her into his side. Despite the events of that morning, she hadn't quite brought herself round to completely believing in Jack coming back to her, that her Jack was there once more. Instinct had driven her when she'd spotted his balled up fists and tense posture but this wasn't just unthinking response. No, Jack had deliberately chosen to comfort her and the thought alone was almost enough to make her weep into his shirt. "The last time he was a proper dad to me was when I was eleven, Jack. I just want him to go away."

Jack's hold tightened on her. "You won't have to face him alone anymore Nikki, that I can promise you." She felt him press a kiss to the top of her hair. "We do still have to do the dinner though. Thomas' orders. I couldn't tell him why we don't like him, so we're stuck in it."

Nikki pulled away to look up into his face, surprise and thankfulness etched onto her features. She didn't know why, but she was grateful that Jack had taken all she'd told him in confidence, guarding her words as sacred and not to be shared, even though she trusted Thomas and Clarissa. Jack understood her, knew she liked to control how much people knew about her. She pushed away the tiny, unhelpful voice that reminded her he didn't know when she'd tricked him in Mexico. "Thank you, Jack."

"What for?"

"Everything. Just… thank you."

"You're welcome, I think. So, what else do I need to know before this meal? If I'm going to defend you, I need to be able to do it properly." Jack squeezed her shoulders gently. "Plus I want to know just how rebellious a kid you were. Any tattoos? Exclusions?"

Nikki let out an involuntary laugh at his attempt to lighten the situation. "I was an angel of a child, I'll have you know." She burst into giggles as Jack stared at her incredulously. "Okay, okay, fine. There was this time…"

"My lady." Jack presented his arm to Nikki with a ridiculous bow, chuckling as she giggled in response, placing her hand on his arm in acceptance and stepping down beside him.

"My hero." Nikki pressed her free hand to her chest, batting her eyelashes for good measure. Clarissa hid a laugh in a cough, Max doing the exact same beside her. Thomas eyed them wearily, beyond telling them off at that point. He'd tried ever since Jack had brought Nikki back to the office to find out what was going on, but both of them had remained tight lipped. Victor was watching them with a disapproving expression, though thankfully he left it at a look. Nikki thought the metal railing would be the least of things taking her frustration if her dad chose to pick holes out of her and Jack all evening. Jack had promised to remain at her side and he was certainly living up to that so far.

Slowly, they began the short walk to the restaurant Victor had booked in an uncomfortable silence, Jack slowing his gait automatically to keep in step with Nikki in her heels. Thomas had made them all look as presentable as possible, even though Nikki had protested it was just her dad, not an audience with the queen. Then again, maybe he'd cottoned on to her idea to show up in scrubs somehow and taken preemptive measures.

She sighed slightly, tightening her hold on Jack's arm as they approached the small restaurant. She really wanted nothing more than to run as fast as possible in the other direction. Victor kept staring at them, though he most likely thought he was being subtle about it, and it was making her uncomfortable. Nikki hadn't liked it even as a child, something deep inside her wanting to stay invisible for as long as possible. Telling her she needed to, that one wrong move would get her noticed and everything would be ruined. She felt Jack's muscles tense under her fingers, the tiny act from him reassuring her she wasn't alone. She had her Jack back, her Jack who wouldn't let her father manipulate her again. Jack's healthy skepticism and suspicion of everyone came in useful at times.

The waiter showed them to their table quickly and Nikki made sure she was between Clarissa and Jack at the round table, Max on Clarissa's free side and Thomas on Jack's, leaving Victor the seat between Thomas and Max, opposite his daughter. She didn't think it ideal, but it was beyond preferable to him sat beside her. Jack's hand silently gripped hers in support before he let go, busying himself with looking through the menu.

"Well." Victor cleared his throat. "Isn't this nice?"

Thomas nodded along, as did Max. Clarissa glanced at Nikki and Jack, both of whom were eyeing their menus with unusual intensity. "Yes." Clarissa decided after a moment, offering Nikki's dad a small smile. "So, tell us, was our Nikki a good child?"

Nikki locked eyes with Jack, mentally sighing. It was going to be a long night.

Two hours later and her fears were proven right. The night was dragging along, not helped one bit by Victor's many (mostly fabricated) stories of Nikki's youth and early adulthood. She'd excused herself at least ten times from the table to take a breather, Jack making some fictitious excuse in order to be able to follow her, waiting patiently outside the toilets for her.

Nikki breathed deeply, staring into the mirror. The latest comment had been Victor commenting on how much he'd done for her as a child, how much he'd been there for her and was the reason she loved science so much. She'd not even managed to excuse herself politely before rushing off to the toilet, Jack on her heels with nary a word to the table. He'd tried being subtle at first for her sake, she knew, but as Victor had gotten further under his skin, the less inclined Jack was to pretend he wasn't protecting her. Coming to a quick decision, she made her way to the door and pushed it open a little, finding Jack waiting patiently for her. "Jack, get in here." She hissed quietly, motioning him forward.

"Nikki, that's the ladies."

"I know. Just… please, Jack. Please." Nikki pleaded, uncaring how it sounded. She needed him. Jack nodded, glancing round to make sure they weren't being watched as he pushed himself off the wall and towards her in the doorway to the ladies. Nikki stepped back, allowing him into the empty room and closing the door behind them. "Jack." She mumbled, letting her face fall properly for the first time.

"Oh, come here." Jack pulled her in for a tight hug, his strength seeping into her as she clung to his back. This was what she'd needed, a Jack hug. To feel warm and safe, in a place the world couldn't hurt her. With Jack. "You're strong, Nikki, you're worth a million of him."

Nikki let out a tiny, barely audible sob at his comforting words, holding him even tighter. She hated what was happening, and she definitely didn't need it after everything she'd been through recently, but she couldn't help but be glad she had Jack by her side. "Thank you," she whispered into his ear gratefully.

Jack pulled away slightly to tuck a stray lock of her hair behind her ear, grinning down at her softly. "No problem. Now, let's go out there, face him for another five minutes, and then leave and grab some pizza. What do you say?"

Nikki felt herself smiling at the idea before he'd even fully formed the sentence. "I'd say the pizza needs to be pepperoni and from that little place two streets over from your flat."

"I'd never suggest anything less." Jack pressed one hand to his chest in mock shock, the other still hot on her waist through her blouse. She gave a tiny giggle at his antics, inwardly amazed at how he could cheer her up and pull her out of a mood so easily. He shifted slightly on his feet, almost uncomfortably. "You uh… you could stay the night if you want? We could watch a film and I've still got some of your stuff from before…" He trailed off awkwardly, the weight of Mexico still hanging between them somewhat.

Nikki stared at him for a moment, her eyes searching his features. They'd done film nights before at each other's places, keeping a couple of changes of clothes for when it inevitably got too late and they'd end up sleeping over, but since Mexico, she'd been resigned to it never happening again and her never getting her clothes back. She smiled, letting out a breath she wasn't aware she was even holding. "Sure." She nodded shyly. "I'd like that."

Jack grinned wildly, the weight of the world appearing to fall from his shoulders. "Great. That's sorted then." He nodded toward the door to the bathroom. "Are you ready?"

"No." Nikki replied honestly. "But if I don't now, it will only get worse. Plus, you owe me a pizza."

"Pizza fixes everything." Jack let go of her waist and she mentally lamented the loss of his hand on her, only to blink in surprise as he instead gently took hold of her hand, linking their fingers together. Bonded.

Nikki managed a shaky smile as he led her out of the bathroom, both ignoring the vaguely horrified look of a waiter that happened to be passing at the time, Jack leading her slowly to the table a little in front of her, so she could hide for as long as possible. It was actually quite sweet when she thought about it.

She peeked round Jack as they approached the table, still linked at their fingers. Clarissa and Max were smiling knowingly at them, prompting a blush to grace her cheeks instantly. Thomas and Victor were staring at them open mouthed and looking rather shocked, though she couldn't figure out why. It was only her and Jack after all. What was so shocking about that?

Clarissa read the confusion off her face with a laugh. "You and Jack are looking a little crumpled there, Nikki." She informed her with a cheeky grin. "Have fun?"

Nikki's cheeks grew redder at the insinuation, and though she didn't dare glance at Jack, she knew he'd be just as red as she was. "Clarissa." She protested, squeezing Jack's fingers even as she looked down at her clothes. Oh. They were actually a little creased and crumpled, as were Jack's. From their embrace in the bathroom, but no doubt it looked a lot less innocent than that if her dad and Thomas' expressions were anything to go by. "We weren't doing anything."

"No of course not." Clarissa rolled her eyes, somehow making her agreement sound anything but. "Thomas, you might want to start knocking before going in the locker room."

Thomas spluttered at that, giving Jack and Nikki enough time to sit down, still joined at the hand. Nikki hoped he wouldn't let go of her. In more ways than one.

Jack let her into his flat, holding the pizzas for them both. They'd made their excuses fairly quickly, Victor pulling yet another face as she'd declined his offer of a lift home saying she was going to Jack's place. She wasn't stupid; he wanted to find out where she lived and she wasn't going to give him that information. She knew Clarissa had cottoned on to there being a lot she hadn't said about her dad and she'd have to tell her something soon, but for now, Jack had promised her a film night and pizza. Something they'd done on a semi-regular basis before Mexico and everything that had happened out there.

Nikki fought down a shiver at the darkened flat, trying to remind herself it was nothing like that box. Sure, it was dark, but she'd gotten out. She was alive. Jack was here. She blinked against the brightness as Jack flicked the lights on, her heart calming its frantic pace a little at the sight of his living room. Definitely not where she'd been buried. She turned with a smile as he closed and locked the front door before moving over to the kitchen table and setting down the pizzas. "Your stuff is in the usual drawer." Jack informed her with a nod in the direction of his room. She smiled her thanks, moving off to get changed.

Jack's room was small, but cosy. The bed took up the majority of the space, but there was enough room for a set of drawers and a small wardrobe too. Nikki made her way over to the drawers, automatically reaching for the second drawer down and pulling it open. She smiled again, swallowing down the tears that threatened to bubble up. He'd kept all her things in her drawer, just as she'd left it. Her pyjamas in the middle, all other clothes neatly folded to the right, and her wash and makeup bag to the left. Everything she'd need. Taking the pyjamas out, she quickly got changed, balling up her jeans and blouse and pushing them into the washing basket Jack had in the corner of the room. Her clothes would be washed with his and would replace the clothes she'd take from the drawer tomorrow morning. Plus, not that she'd ever admit it, she loved it when her clothes smelt like him. It was the same when they did film nights at her place. He had his own drawer and she'd wash his clothes with hers. She definitely would never tell Jack the number of times she'd slept in his shirt the last couple of months in order to feel closer to him.

Shaking herself, Nikki took a calming breath. She couldn't let Jack know how scared she was all the time, how that box still had her trapped. No, it wasn't fair for her to put that on him. She'd be fine. It was only a film night with her best friend after all. She stepped out of his room back into the living room to find that Jack had set up their usual film night. Pizza boxes on the coffee table, with pint glasses of what she thought was orange juice. It was usually wine but they'd drank at the restaurant and both were going to have to drive in the morning. A fluffy pink blanket on the sofa beside him, her usual film blanket. She got a little chilly in his flat, and after trying to hide her shivers the first night, he'd produced the pink blanket for her her second night with a sheepish grin. Since then, he'd made sure she had it for every single film night without fail. Jack spotted her and grinned, moving the blanket out of the way so she could sit next to him. Nikki folded herself onto the sofa beside him, smiling shyly as he covered her gently with the blanket, making sure she was warm enough. "Thanks Jack."

"It's just a blanket." Jack shrugged.

"No, I don't mean the blanket." She reached forward, slipping her hand round his arm as much as she could, grabbing his attention. "Thank you Jack. You didn't have to do anything you have today. Thank you."

"Nikki." Jack twisted in his seat to face her. "I know I've not been the best friend to you recently, but-"

"Jack, it's okay." Nikki interrupted gently. "What happened out there happened to both of us, not just me. You're suffering too."

"That's no excuse."

"Maybe not, but it is an explanation."

"Nikki." Jack stared at her for a moment, watching her intensely. "I mean it. I'm not going anywhere. We're a pair."

Nikki nodded. "Okay. A pair."

"Right. I've put Grease on for us. And don't pretend you don't like it; I see you dancing along to every single song." Jack smirked, reaching round for the remote and settling onto the sofa properly at her side, just like all their film nights. Nikki smiled as the film started, appreciating the normality of watching a film with Jack. Almost against her own will, she felt herself drawn to his side, nestling there instinctively. She stiffened, half expecting to be pushed away, part of her brain still not believing she had him back, but he simply lifted his arm to wrap round her shoulders, letting her cuddle into him whilst not taking his eyes off the television screen. Nikki smiled again, the comfort of the film and Jack washing over her and weighing her limbs down, until she was drifting off to sleep on Jack's chest without even realising.