Hide and Seek

"Nikki, where's Jack?" Simone asked as she entered the office, unwrapping the scarf from round her neck and discarding her coat onto her desk chair. Nikki glanced up from the report she was writing, biting the end of her pen in thought.

"Hmm? Oh, he's hiding, don't worry." She waved it off. Simone frowned.

"Hiding? Why, what's wrong?"

"Nothing." Nikki let out a chuckle at Simone's worried confusion, setting her pen down to talk properly to the ecologist. "We're playing hide and seek."

"Oh." Simone shook her head in amusement. Of course they were. God forbid the two senior members of the Lyell act like the adults they were. In the last week alone she'd walked in to find them in a tickle fight, throwing screwed up paper into the bin, and throwing pieces of chocolate at each other across the desks. "Shouldn't you go and seek then?"

"In a few minutes. I've this report to finish first." Nikki laughed again. "Simone, he's well over six foot tall and a lot of muscle. There aren't many places he can hide here."

"I suppose not. So you know exactly where he is?"

"I know exactly where he is." The blonde confirmed with a smile as she picked up her pen to sign her name on the bottom of the report. "It makes him feel better if it takes a little while for me to find him though."

"So you get work done and Jack thinks he's hidden well." Simone laughed, shaking her head again. "What happens when you hide?"

"It really does take Jack a while. He always thinks I can't fit into small spaces." Nikki motioned over to one of the low cupboards over by the wall with the end of her pen. "I hid in there last time and it took him an hour and a phone call to find me. I was watching him look for me in the gap in the cupboard doors."

"Impressive." Simone nodded. The cupboard did look too small to house anyone, let alone Nikki.

Nikki stood up, stretching slightly. "Come on, let's go find Jack." She led Simone straight through the offices down to the locker room and cutting room, entering the locker room and silently motioning to a gap at the far end of the room, where Simone could just about make out a tiny glimpse of red from Jack's shirt. Smirking, Nikki began looking round the room as though she had no clue where her boyfriend was, checking everywhere until she reached the end of the locker and placed her hand into the gap, hitting his arm almost immediately. "Found you."

Jack unfolded himself from his hiding place with a wide grin, lifting Nikki up to gently place a kiss to her lips. "It took you a little longer this time."

"Simone wanted to help me look." Nikki explained sweetly as he set her back on her feet. "Is it my turn to hide now?"

"Only once I've locked all the cupboards." Jack shook his head as Nikki giggled. "Simone, you want in?"

Simone stared at them for a moment before mentally sighing and giving in. What the hell. She'd never stood a chance really. She directed her eyes to Nikki and Jack, both of whom were watching her with small, genuine smiles. Somehow, it was like they were a family. A strange, completely crazy family. Simone let out a chuckle, nodding her head. "Sure, but bagsy not being it."