I know this was only going to be a one shot however I've always wanted to write what I think should've happened in this scene and I think it would fit quite nicely with this one so enjoy! :) x
"Jack, you've got nothing to prove," Nikki stated, stepping down so that she was now level with him. It wasn't often that she was able to read him this closely, to see the true expression on his face without having to strain her neck. The tear rolled down her cheek as her eyes connected with his. "Nothing."
Nikki felt her breath hitch at the growing atmosphere between the two of them as Jack's eyes flitted between her lips and her eyes. She found herself mirroring his movements. Their faces dangerously close. Flashbacks of that night they had spent together in Mexico coming to the forefront of her mind. The feeling of his hard muscles under her fingers had been burned into her skin. The rough pad of his hands scratching against her cheek. She had tried so hard to put that night to the back of her mind over the past couple of months but the more he ignored her, the more she missed him. And the more she missed him, the more she thought about those moments they shared.
She should never have left him that night. Maybe things would be different right now. But she had to get away, she needed to clear her head. They both had just blurred that line between friendship and love and she didn't know what to do with those feelings. She had promised herself that after Harry she wouldn't let that happen again. But it was too late, Jack had stolen her heart all those years ago but she had been a fool and left it too long. But there was still hope in trying, in testing the waters. Maybe their relationship could recover from this. She would be damned to let Jack get away.
"Jack," she spoke softly, her voice barely a whisper as her hand reached forward to cup his cheek. She was surprised he didn't flinch away from her. They had been so distant lately, there was this sense of awkwardness between them that had never been there before. Nikki wasn't quite sure of how to deal with it. She knew how to deal with Jack when he was angry and frustrated and upset but this was different. This was something she couldn't deal with. She felt herself relax slightly as Jack leaned into her palm as though he was almost comforted by her touch.
Jack hadn't realised how much he had truly missed this. Just being this close to Nikki, he had felt a million miles away from her ever since they got back from Mexico. He had so desperately wanted to keep her close. To protect her. But that was what had brought her to danger out there. He loved her. And because he loved her she nearly died. They take the ones you love. Eva's words rang through his head. Loving her was hurting her and he was not going to let Nikki be taken away from him again. He would rather not love her than lose her. But he was slowly losing her by keeping her at arms length.
He couldn't help but blame himself for her running off to New York, if he hadn't have let his heart rule his head in that situation then, she would've stayed. He wouldn't have lost her. He had promised himself that night that he wouldn't let his heart control him again. He had to listen to the voice in his head that would tell him to stop and think about what he was doing before he lost the one person in his life he couldn't live without. But he had learnt that sometimes his head wasn't always right.
He hadn't realised the tears that were slipping from his eyes until Nikki started to caress his skin with her thumb, wiping them away. He closed his eyes, letting out a breath he had been holding onto. He just wanted to digest this moment, he wasn't sure of how long it was going to last. He had missed her touch and it broke his heart as he thought about the last time they had been this close. How her hands had roamed over every inch of his skin, how her nails had left marks on his arms for weeks. Every time he looked in the mirror and seen the faint lines he was reminded of her.
He had quickly learned of how everything reminded him of her and it killed him. There had been times when he'd get a whiff of her perfume as he walked down the street and he'd have to stop himself from searching for her name in his contacts. He had lost count of the amount of times he'd walked into a café and asked for two coffees along with two croissants. He'd have to palm them off to Clarissa who had just thought that he was trying to butter her up for something.
He sighed. He couldn't love her. He wouldn't love her. If it meant that she was safe then Jack was going to do everything in his power to fight his feelings.
Nikki could feel her heart racing. She couldn't take this much longer. It was beating so hard in her chest she was surprised that he couldn't hear it. Jack's eyes flickered open and without thinking Nikki let gravity take hold of the situation as she leaned forward, her lips colliding with Jack's briefly. She pulled back, waiting for a reaction, a sign that she wasn't wrong about the moment they had just created for themselves.
Within seconds Jack's lips were on hers and his free hand snaked around the back of her head. His fingers running through her hair. She felt his hands clinging on to her for dear life as if she was going to disappear right in front of him. Her arm wrapped around his neck as the kiss deepened.
He knew this was stupid, he knew this was a mistake that he was going to quickly regret. But he couldn't help himself. His lips pressed into hers, her tongue dancing along his bottom lip. There was a fight going on between his heart and his head again. His head telling him to back off, that he was taking advantage of her in her emotional state. But his heart kept him there, winning the ongoing battle once again, their lips locked and his hand weaved through her blonde curls. She had kissed him first and she had wanted this just as much as she did. As much as his head was telling him that this was a mistake, it had never felt more right.
When oxygen was starting to become necessary, Nikki pulled away from him slowly, her forehead leaning on his. She couldn't stop the involuntary twitch of her lips as they remained in their little bubble, their chests moving up and down in time with each other.
"Nikki I…" Jack started before being quickly interrupted by a familiar voice shouting 'get a room' in their direction.
They practically jumped apart, the moment quickly shattering. They worried about the position they had just been caught in and how a private and intimate moment may now be broadcasted to everyone else. This was the last thing they needed. Although considering what had happened over the past couple of days, they doubted David even cared that much.
Jack stepped back from Nikki, turning away from her, his face showing little expression. His hand hand had dropped from her hair and found shelter in his pocket. If Nikki wasn't confused before now she certainly was. It wasn't exactly one sided, he poured his emotion into that kiss as much as she had. He had kissed her back.
She watched as he walked away from her, the sinking feeling in her stomach growing even worse. She was desperate to know what was going on inside that head of his. She knew it wasn't much but she hoped that maybe this would be a step in the right direction. Unless of course this was something they wouldn't be able to bounce back from, maybe they would never be able to go back to how they were.
There had been so many things she had wanted to tell him when she was trapped in that box. She had promised herself that if she got out of there alive then she would tell him, now she may never get that chance.