It always bugged me that we never got a reunion between these two. I hope you enjoy, I got a little carried away but I hope it's all okay :)

As soon as they arrived back at the compound, Jack shot out of Gustavo's car and stormed inside. He paced around the room, trying his hardest to not let the anger get to him but that was proving difficult as with every step he made, the more the rage surged through him. He picked up a table and threw it across the room, the crash echoing against the walls. He found himself getting worked up, screaming Nikki's name every time he hurled something across the room. He stopped as he reached the Forensics equipment, he wasn't going to let his temper get to him enough that he would smash that up. Besides, Thomas would probably kill him if he found out that he was the one to destroy a six figure piece of equipment. He surprisingly found himself chuckling at that, or maybe he had truly gone mad. Then an image of Nikki flashed across his mind and his face dropped again. He hadn't even noticed the tears that were streaming down his cheeks, roughly wiping his hand across his face, he dug into his pocket and pulled out his phone. Tapping in the number that he knew off by heart at this point, the dial tone began.

"What do I do now?" He spoke, trying to keep his voice steady as Clarissa picked up on the other end. "She's gone and I'm never going to get her back. I don't even know where to start, the woman who put her in that box is dead. I can't ring her, her phone is dead. She'll be dead by the time I figure out where she is," Jack sobbed, furiously running his hands through his hair.

"Jack," Clarissa started. "Is there nowhere else you think she could be? Has any other places been mentioned, places where this Eva would know about? Places you wouldn't think of straight away?"

"I have been going over and over and over places she could be, there's nothing, nowhere. It's just a sea of desert and rocks, she could be anywhere," he clenched his jaw, trying to hold himself together. He had to be strong, Nikki should be dead but she wasn't and that's always a good place to start, a glimmer of hope. His head glanced up as Ernesto walked in and Jack could almost hear the penny dropping on the floor. "Clarissa, I've got to go," he could hear her calling his name as he hung up.

Strutting over to Ernesto, he grabbed hold of his shoulders, "That dig you were on about the other night, where is it?"

Ernesto took a moment, slightly stunned by this tall, muscular man shaking him but knowing now wasn't the time to freeze he spoke, "It's west. You don't think?" Jack continued to stare at him, "I'll drive."

Almost instantly, Jack and Ernesto were in his car and they were heading west, along a road that was scarily familiar to Jack. Shit, he thought. This was the road where Eva got shot, she was on her way to Nikki. If only he just continued on this road he probably would've found her sooner and now he didn't even know if she was still alive. She seemed to be on the phone not that long ago but right now he really couldn't be that sure. Time was precious. One minute too late and she could be dead. Jack soon found himself tapping his hand on his knee, the impatience growing inside him. He didn't want to bear the thought of not finding Nikki and never having her in his life again. He had become so used to her being there, so used to having her teaming up with Clarissa and winding him up something rotten. So used to her offering him a shoulder to cry on when whatever case they were working on was getting to him. So used to her putting him in his place when he was in the wrong, which was usually the case. She was always right. He wanted to hate her. He wanted to hate her for sacrificing herself, choosing to save the others before saving herself. But that was so typical of Nikki and it was one of the things he loved about her. She is selfless. She is kind. She is caring. And now she is gone.

It wasn't long until Ernesto was pulling up at the dig site. Jack ran out of the car, circling around the mound shouting her name, waiting for a reply. The sweat was already running down his back. He couldn't hear anything but the wind and the sound of waves crashing on the sand in the distance, he just shouted her name again, stopping as he spotted a small grate and an opening to the inside. Flicking the torch on his phone he crawled inside, noticing the small black flip phone, a bottle of water and a dead scorpion, this is where she was. The panic started rising up inside him, if this was where she was and she's not here now then where the hell was she? She could be anywhere by now.

Backing out of the small coffin, he screamed her name once again. His throat was sore, he knew he wouldn't have much of a voice left if he carried on like that. He turned to face Ernesto who seemed to be staring at the ground, Jack followed his gaze down and felt his heart drop as he noticed the clear footprint on the floor. They were unlikely to be anyone else's and they seemed to lead to the beach. Trusting his gut instincts, he followed them as best as he could but it was tricky considering the wind had blown some of the prints away but Jack had a general idea of where they were taking him.

After what felt like forever and with his heart pounding out of his chest he found himself standing at the top of the sand dunes and overlooking the beach. The panic that he was feeling earlier quickly returned as he scanned the beach but nothing stood out to him as unusual, the place was deserted, he couldn't see a single person. Not giving up, he walked down until his shoes touched the sand. He found himself shouting her name once again, in the hope that somehow she'd hear him and reply but the way things were looking it was seemingly unlikely.

The best option for him right now, in order for him to cover the whole perimeter of the beach, was to walk along the shoreline. He made his way across slowly, making sure that no area was overlooked, the thought of finding her dead body pushed to the back of his couldn't help but think of that and in many ways, he supposed, it would be a small blessing. It would be better to find her body than never find her and never have peace. Finding her, alive or dead, was the most important thing right now. He wanted nothing more than to have her alive but he had to face the hard truth and that was she might not be and it would kill him but he'd learn to live with it.

He shook the thoughts away, he had to remain positive. If not for him then for Nikki. She got out of that box and she had made it to the sea so her chances of being alive were increasing massively. If it weren't for the fact that she wasn't standing right in front of him now, he would've smiled. She was alive, and he'd have to believe that if he had any chance of finding her.

He was starting to regret rushing out now because the scorching sun was beating down on him hard and he could feel his throat getting drier by the second. Bending down, he cupped the sea water in his hands and splashed his face in an attempt to cool him down and unlike the water back in the UK, this was actually warm but it was enough to refresh him and keep him from drying out. As he ran his hands through his hair, his heart dropped and he stood up instantly. He could hear his name being called. It could've been Ernesto but no, this voice was too high. This voice was something he'd heard everyday for the past five years.

"Nikki?" He called, as loud as he could. He wasn't going crazy, he definitely heard her. And sure enough, out in the distance he spotted a faint figure walking towards him. She was limping but Jack could make out her blonde hair, whipping in the wind. It was her. It was his Nikki. The tears sprang to his eyes and he started sprinting in her direction. It wasn't long before he reached her. He stopped just in front of her, blinking, not quite believing that she was standing in front of him. His chest puffing out from his deep breaths. She hadn't even been gone that long but the pure stress of it all made Jack really feel as though he'd never see her again.

The tears blurred his eyes, feeling himself come crashing back down to reality as a small hand gripped onto his arm. Without even thinking about it, he wrapped his arms around her and held her close to him. His hand resting on her head, pushing her into his chest. The sobs escaped him as he gripped onto her tighter, he was probably crushing her right now but he didn't want to lose her and right now he had to be sure that she was actually in his arms right now and that she wasn't just a figment of his imagination. He was scared that if he let her go now she would just disappear into thin air. His knees buckled as he fell to the floor, bringing her down with him.

They sat down on the sand, Jack gently rocking her in his arms as they both cried. She could feel her hands clinging on to his shirt, digging her nails into his arms. She was probably going to leave marks on his skin but at this point he really couldn't care less. He found himself pressing his lips against her hair. He wanted, no he needed to be as close to her as he possibly could. It had been the longest, most traumatising day of his life. He had come so close to losing her and he felt things that he never ever wanted to feel again. He was angry in ways he couldn't explain. He had punched walls in fear of never seeing her again and he had cried in fear that he'd never get to speak to her and he'd never get to tell her what he'd been wanting to tell her for a while now. He'd wanted so desperately to say on the phone but he couldn't be sure she'd feel the same way. And if he'd told and he'd found her, what would happen then? Where would they go? What would they do? Maybe she would just ignore what he had said, thinking that maybe he said it out of being so desperate and so scared. Fearing that he'd never see her again.

She pulled away from him slightly, to look up at him. To make eye contact with him. Jack cupped her cheek in his palm. He didn't realise before it was too late that his lips had connected with hers. He could taste the salt, whether that was from the sea or the tears he couldn't tell. His hand moved to the back of her neck, pulling her closer as the kiss deepened. Breaking away, he pressed his forehead against, their breathing in time with each other. He daren't increase the distance between them, he wasn't quite ready to leave this little bubble that they had made for themselves. But she'd kissed him back, he could be sure of that. Maybe he wasn't as wrong about what she was feeling as he initially thought. Or perhaps it was just a spur of the moment thing and she was just as glad to see him as he was her.

He had so wished it had been under circumstances but he'd be lying if he said that he hadn't thought about Nikki's lips on more than one occasion. He'd always imagined how they would feel against his, how they would taste and he was certainly not disappointed. He sighed, he would give everything to stay like this with her forever, her body pressed into his. But they would have to face reality sooner or later. And after being stuck in that box for hours, Nikki probably wanted nothing more than a hot shower and a comfy bed to lie in but Jack sure as hell wasn't going to let her out of his sight, not now. Maybe never.

Standing up, Jack placed an arm around her waist, holding her up. He supported her weight against him as they walked back up the beach to join Ernesto. He helped Nikki get into the back of the car, she was so weak and it was breaking his heart seeing her so helpless. It was so unlike Nikki it was almost laughable. He joined her on the back seat, allowing her to rest her head on his lap. He ran his hands through her hair as he watched her slowly drift off to sleep. He did wonder when it would sink in that she currently had her head on his thighs, that she was actually here in front of him. She hadn't been gone for long but it was long enough for him to doubt that he'd ever see her again.

They soon found themselves back at the compound, gently stroking her cheek with the back of his hand, he spoke, "Nikki, darling. We're back." He smiled softly as she stirred, turning her head to face him. She almost looked panicked until her eyes settled on him and she realised that it was Jack staring down at her. She breathed a sigh of relief. "Now would you rather a shower or sleep first?" He asked in an almost whisper, his voice hoarse from all the screaming and shouting and lack of water. He didn't want to imagine how Nikki was feeling. He'd known she hadn't trusted that the bottle of water that was left with her was pure water so she hadn't had anything to drink for nearly 24 hours now.

"Shower," she barely let out, Jack was surprised he could even hear her.

"Let's get you out then," he brushed through her hair once again before helping her to sit up. He supported her again as he led her out of the car and made their way to the outdoor shower, picking up a towel on the way. "I'll be stood right outside, okay?"

Nikki smiled gently, squeezing his hand, not quite finding the right words to say right now. She will forever be grateful for Jack's protectiveness, it meant that no matter what she was never on her own. Not seeing him again was the scariest thought she had in that box. The thought of never admitting how she truly felt about him. She had so desperately wanted to tell him but she didn't want to burden him for the rest of his life. She knew how Jack's mind worked, he wasn't too dissimilar to her after all. She knew that if she told him she loved him and then he never found her then he'd had to live with that for the rest of his life. It would kill him. It would kill him because he would never give up looking for her, he would search for her for the rest of his life. Sighing, she switched the shower on. Carefully she started to remove each item of clothing from her body. It wasn't until he'd let out a small cough did Nikki remember that Jack was standing just outside. Of course he had his back to her and he would never intrude on her privacy but she could feel her skin turning pink just thinking about how close they were and how little clothing that was currently on her.

Walking into the hot stream of water, she hissed at the way it stung the cuts on her body that she didn't even know she had. Picking up the bar of soap, she slowly lathered it up in her hands before rubbing her hands across her skin, scrubbing away the thick layers of filth. She looked down at the floor, watching how the dirt and grime washed off her and disappeared down the drain. She normally would've found it satisfying if it weren't for her breaths becoming shallow and she could feel her chest tightening. She placed her hand on the wall, something somewhat steady as this wave of panic flowed through her. Her eyes snapped shut as soap ran into them, stinging. Her breathing worsened. She was back in that box, screaming as much as her lungs could allow her, the scorpion was running up and down her body, pinching her skin at every given opportunity. She tried her best hit away at where it was nipping at her.

"Jack," she cried and he turned to face her instantly at the sound of her voice. He reached out and opened the little hatch, allowing himself to join her quickly. Stopping, he cursed himself for allowing his eyes to travel up and down her body when she was clearly having a panic attack but he supposed he was only human. Snapping into action he turned the shower off grabbing the towel from the side he wrapped it around her body as she fell into his arms and gripped him. He rubbed her back slowly in an attempt to calm her down and level her breathing out. Leaning down he placed a kiss on the top of her head.

"Come on, let's get you back inside," he pulled the towel around her tighter. "You need something to eat and some rest." He weaved his arm around her waist and almost carried her back to his room, he had the bigger bed after all and he had a feeling that he wouldn't be leaving her side tonight. Gently sitting her down on the bed, he pulled out a brush from his drawer. He crawled around on the bed, settling behind her with his legs either side of her.

He gathered the wet, blonde hair in his fist and started running the brush through it. He tried his best to be soft so as not to hurt her. He continued to brush through her hair until it was smooth and there were no knots. He flattened her hair down as he chucked the brush to the side. He was unable to stop himself as he ran his finger along the length of her shoulder. Her skin was soft and silky, his finger paused at a small cut. He leaned forward, placing his lips over the wound, slowly kissing his way to the back of her neck. He wished he could take the pain away, make it all better so she wouldn't have to suffer ever again. He felt Nikki shudder under his touch and he watched the goosebumps that were now forming on her skin. Nikki pulled her head to the side, allowing Jack to suck at the pressure point in her neck. She could already feel the purple bruise forming, a mix of pain and pleasure.

She felt her breath hitch as his one arm wrapped around her waist whilst his other hand travelled up her thigh, teasing her before reaching to where she was now desperate for his hands to be. This better not be a dream. She gasped and arched her back as his fingers circled her clit. She reached her arm back, gripping on to his hair as he slipped one finger in and soon after another. The feeling of his fingers inside her, his teeth nipping at the flesh on her skin and his arm holding her close to him, it wasn't long before she was peaking. He pumped into her as she rode out her orgasm. He held her against him as she came down from the high. Her skin now hot and sensitive as he pressed his lips into her skin.

Breathing heavily, she turned in Jack's lap facing him. His eyes dark and lustful, Nikki bit her lip as she placed her hand on his cheek and leaned in. Their lips crashed as she straddled his lap. Jack gripped his hands under her thighs, picking her up as he stood up. He turned, putting her back down on the bed. His body looming over her. With one swift move, Jack removed the white towel that was somehow still wrapped around her. Nikki deepened the kiss as her hands travelled down Jack's blue shirt, expertly popping the buttons open to reveal the hard muscles underneath with which she took great pleasure running her nails along. In the few times that she had had the greatest pleasure of seeing him without a top on, she had so desperately tried to stop herself from staring and thinking about the things that he could do to her.

She smiled to herself as she felt Jack clench under her touch, not quite believing that she had that power over him. Breaking the kiss, Jack stepped away from her, removing the shirt from his body and unbuckling his belt, letting his jeans drop to the floor. Their eye contact hadn't dropped until Nikki's eyes travelled down his body landing on his very obvious erection. Nikki propped herself on her elbows, her eyelids drooping, anticipating him to remove his last piece of clothing. Sitting up again, she slipped a finger into the waistband of his boxers, gently tugging them down. She gnawed at her bottom lip as she watched him shiver.

Holding her face in his hands, he leaned down and kissed her once again. He slowly pushed her back down onto the bed. Pulling away from her slightly, he looked down at her, the blush creeping up her neck under his gaze. God, she was beautiful. He never thought he'd ever get to see her like this, lying underneath him, pupils blown and all flushed, a faint smile across her face. He could tell she was eager from the way her hands travelled down his back, encouraging him but he wasn't going to rush this. A small part of him feared that he wouldn't get to experience this again so he was going to make the most of it. It was Nikki after all. He dipped his head, placing a kiss on her neck, slowly travelling down her body. He stopped himself going further, from the way she was squirming under him and tugging at his hair, he would not be able to last much longer.

"Are you sure?" He asked, his voice low, lifting himself up so that he was facing her once again.

"Yes," she spoke, wrapping her hand around the back of his neck, bringing his lips closer to hers. Jack reached down and stroked his member, teasing her entrance before pushing himself into her. Nikki felt the breath being taken out of her as she adjusted to his size. They quickly found a steady rhythm, their movements and breathing in time with each other. Jack grabbed one of Nikki's hands, grasping it in his own and placing it above her head as his pace quickened, feeling himself getting closer already.

Nikki's free hand travelled down Jack's back, gripping on to him hard knowing that she was definitely going to leave a mark. But as he was pushing into her and filling her body with an intense pleasure she had never felt before, it really was the least of her worries. She dug her nails into him as he got faster. He was close, and she wasn't far behind.

Their breaths hitched as Nikki tightened around him, the wave of her second orgasm washing over her tipping Jack over the edge. He slowed down, riding it out. He carefully kissed her now bruised and swollen lips. The slight sheen of sweat lay on her skin, her pupils were dilated and she was breathing deeply. He pulled out of her and avoided the temptation to collapse on top of her in fear that he'd crush her. He cupped her cheek with his hand and connected his lips with hers but this time it was slow, meaningful. He wanted to tell her in some way that he didn't want this to be a one time thing and that he loved her without words. He felt the adrenaline surge through him as he slipped his tongue into her and it wasn't long before they were having a repeat performance.

Jack stirred the next morning. A grin spread across his face as the memories from last night came flooding back to him. He stretched his arm out to the other side of the bed but was faced with disappointment when it was cold and empty. He turned over to find a small note had been left on his pillow, he opened it up, his heart dropping as he read over the words.

Jack,

I need some time for myself. There's a few things I need to think over. I've booked a last minute flight to New York to catch up with some old friends. I hope that you can understand that. I don't know when I'll be back but I'll see you when we both get home.

Nikki x