Jack
"I should have called an ambulance. " Leo grumbles in frustration as we get stuck behind a traffic light. "Would have been quicker!"
"No fuss, no fuss" Nikki whispers "No fuss."
Of course, that's what she's worried about. Fuss!
" How's she doing, Jack?" Leo asks.
"Bout the same. Fading in and out."
"Well, at least she's not getting worse at the moment." He comments. "If she comes to a bit more, see if you can find out what painkillers she's taken – they'll want to know at the hospital."
"Nikki? Nikki" I say, the next time she starts mumbling.
"Huh? Jack, tired...let me sleep." She murmurs. It's the nearest to a full sentence she's managed in a while and I know this is my chance.
"No, no, don't sleep." I urge her quickly. "You said you took some painkillers – what were they? I need to know – Nikki, come on!"
"Paraceptamol, two." She manages to mutter before losing consciousness again.
"Two paraceptamol?!" Leo retorts indignantly when I repeat it to him. "I'm not surprised they didn't work!"
"Leo, there's a bit of blood in her mouth." I state suddenly in a panic as we finally pull into the hospital car park.
He glances in the rear-view mirror. "Calm down, Jack. She must have bitten her tongue. Just try to keep her head as upright as possible, so she doesn't choke." He instructs me calmly.
When we're parked, I pick Nikki up and Leo arranges her head against me, so that it's not lolling back. The next few minutes are a blur. Leo demands – politely – but demands nonetheless that Nikki is attended to urgently – although once they understand the situation, as far as we do anyway, they don't argue. We've done all we can and now all we can do is wait while she's assessed and treated.
Whilst we wait, who should turn up but DI Warren. I get to my feet, ready to rail at her for letting Lane get close enough to Nikki to do her harm, but Leo pushes me back in my seat gently.
"Jack, Nikki should be back soon. Focus on her and sit with her. I'll talk to Kate." He and DI Warren step outside Nikki's room to 'talk'.
Kate. If you ask me, she doesn't deserve to be on first-name terms with us, but Nikki does indeed get brought back at that moment and requires my full attention – luckily for DI Warren.
This is her fault. Ok, mostly it's down to the bastard who did this – but it's her fault he was able to.
"Mm" Nikki murmurs "Jack?"
"Hey" I whisper. "How you felling?...Easy..." I add as she attempts to sit up further and groans. "The doctor said your blood pressure is on the low side."
He warned that she would probably be light-headed, tired and maybe a bit queasy, as well as pain and throbbing in her hand – though the pain relief they've given her should help with the latter bit. Nikki's eyes falls on her bandaged hand and the devastation is evident on her face as the reality of the situation dawns on her.
I automatically get up and hug her gently. "Shhhh" I try to soothe her softly as Leo comes back in. I sit down and he gives her a comforting hug too.
"I've spoken to the doctor and he says that it's only the tip of your finger that has gone." Leo tells her in an attempt to reassure her. "Hopefully, once it's healed, you should retain more or less normal use in your hand."
"It's not that" She sniffs. "That's not why I'm upset."
"What is it then?" I ask curiously.
"Lane took it with him." She explains. "I can't bear the thought of him having it."
"DI Warren sends her love." Leo comments, trying to change the subject.
"Her love?!" I splutter, disgusted.
If DI Warren had co-operated with Nikki in the first place, as well as back at the police station earlier, Nikki might not be in here now.
DI Warren's love is the last thing she needs.
"Jack!" Leo retorts, giving me a pointed look that says 'behave'. "One thing Nikki, I know you don't like fuss and that's why you didn't ring for an ambulance, but if you were getting a taxi, why didn't you ask him to take you to the hospital?"
"I meant too." She mutters, then looking up and seeing our confused expressions, clears her throat to explain. "I meant to" She repeats, "but I suppose I was trying to distract myself from the pain while I was waiting for the taxi and I was thinking about the case." She shrugs. "When the driver asked me for directions, I guess I automatically gave him the address of the Lyell."
We leave Nikki to rest and head back to work, determined to catch this dangerous man before he can hurt anyone else.
Before he has the chance to hurt Nikki again. Actually, I wanted to stay with her – Leo had to practically drag me out the room.
However, it's just a few hours later, when Nikki's blood pressure has raised to a normal level and she is therefore able to discharge herself. Leo catches me putting my coat on.
"And where do you think you're going?" He enquires, as Clarissa also appears in my office doorway, eyeing me suspiciously.
I sigh. This is not going to go down well. "I'm going to pick Nikki up from the hospital."
Clarissa and Leo look extremely unimpressed.
"Jack!" the former chides me.
"Well, what do you want me to do, Clarissa?" I retort. "She's already discharged herself and she told me on the phone that if I don't pick her up, she's going to get a taxi. I don't know about you two, but I would personally rather go and pick her up, and bring her back here, so that I know where she is."
Leo gives a resigned sigh. "Yes, actually, Clarissa, I think I'd rather she was here so we know she's safe."
Once she's here, she's not leaving the Lyell centre without me, until that man is locked up. That's for sure.
It's as certain as death and taxes.
