Nikki didn't see much of Harry on Monday and Tuesday. She spent the days finishing off PM's and reports, getting everything organized so she could leave. She was at her desk when Harry walked in on Tuesday afternoon and immediately she pounced on him to give him the still open case files and give him summaries of where she was on each of them. She tried to ignore his closeness as they poured over files together. They were only shortly interrupted by Leo who was going to a hearing and wouldn't be back and continued working closely until all was said and done and Nikki went back to her desk, to clear her things. She felt Harry's eyes on her but she chose to ignore it and busied herself with the last few chores before taking her bag and getting ready to go.

"Don't leave," she heard Harry say softly or was she imagining that?

"Pardon?" she asked looking up at him, just to make sure she was hearing what she thought she was hearing.

"Don't leave," he stated again, more firmly.

Nikki wasn't sure how to respond to that. "I…" she started but then stopped and looked down to her hands on her desk.

"I don't want you to leave," Harry reiterated, willing her to look at him and hold his look, which she did. A silence filled the room as they looked at each other.

"I…I will be back, Harry, I won't be gone forever," she said, breaking the glance, switching off her desk light and getting up, ready to leave. Harry was at her side within seconds. Nikki swallowed a lump in her throat before daring to look up at him again.

"Don't leave," he said again simply, standing close to her, too close. "Maybe… maybe we could try after all to… to…" Harry started but he couldn't word the feelings that were apparently forming inside him.

Nikki gave a sad smile, "I don't want anything that you aren't ready for, Harry. Don't force yourself. You made it very clear last week that you aren't ready to change things between us and maybe you are right. I just need a little distance, a little time. I will return."

"Promise?" Harry almost whispered.

"Promise," Nikki choked, quickly looking down, not wanting to show him the tears she felt rising.

Instead of leaving it there, Harry lifted her chin with his hand so that she was forced to look up and into his eyes. To her surprise Nikki found she wasn't the only one fighting back tears. "I will miss you," he whispered. Nikki nodded, she couldn't trust herself to bring out any words. He then pulled her chin closer and planted a small, very brief kiss on her lips before gathering her into an embrace. Nikki clung to Harry for dear life for a few moments. She then broke away, grabbed her things and walked out of the office without once glancing back at Harry again.

Thankfully in South Africa life was busy. Nikki stayed with her friend Sara and performed more PM's in a day than she sometimes did in London in a week. It was exhausting but strangely freeing to be in Cape Town again, working non-stop and just being with Sara again, not being weighed down with the problems she had in London. She knew it was an escape and that in time she would have to face it all again but for now it was lovely just being busy and being in denial. Nikki chose not to discuss much about Harry in depth with Sara. She wasn't sure what she felt and how to voice it and Sara let her be.

She was in regular e-mail contact with Leo. He only mentioned Harry in passing in relation to work which was both a relief and exasperating. She wanted to know everything about Harry but she also needed the distance. Every time an e-mail from Leo appeared her heart beat wildly in the anticipation of what he might have to say about Harry.

A week passed and then another. Sara carefully dared ask Nikki about her long term plans and Nikki found herself wishing for home again. For London. For Harry, even if only as a friend. She'd promised Leo she would discuss her career plans with him before making any definitive move. Maybe she needed to go home and do just that. So, when the third week came around she announced she was returning to London. She would have to wait and see how things went with Harry, and with Leo of course, and she would base her decision on what to do next on that.

She didn't tell Leo or anyone other than Sara that she was going back home. She just flew home and on a Thursday morning just showed up again at the Lyell Centre. She found Leo alone, in his office and the surprise and then delight on his face to see her again warmed Nikki as she fell into his arms for a welcoming embrace.

"How long are you here for? Will you be staying?" Leo asked carefully after all the initial stories had been exchanged and Nikki sat down on the couch in his office.

"I… yes, I think I do want to stay. But, I don't really know anything for sure yet, I'm still figuring out what I…" she started when she was interrupted by the door opening and Harry entering. He didn't see her at first as he had his back to her.

"Leo, what do you make of these results here? They don't seem to make sense…" he began and then saw Leo's look past him which made him pause. He swung around and Nikki swore she could have knocked him over with a feather by the look of complete and utter surprise on his face when he saw her.

"Nikki!" he then slowly smiled. Nikki saw Leo discretely leave the room and shut the door as she got up. Harry dropped the file he was holding on a chair and within three large paces he was right in front of her and then after only a moment's hesitation he drew her into a long welcoming embrace. Nikki melted against him, clung to him, breathed in the scent of him, relished the feel of his face against her hair and realized that any idea she had of being aloof with Harry had gone right out the window.

The embrace felt like it lasted forever and then finally Harry stepped back to take a good look at Nikki. She smiled at him. He looked pale and tired.

"You have gained some colour in your face but you look tired," he then stated. Nikki smiled again, "It was very busy, Sara worked me hard."

Harry smiled back, "I can imagine. I hope she and Pieter are well?"

Nikki grinned, "They are. Still at it like cats and dogs but they adore each other."

"Good," Harry said.

"You look tired too…" Nikki began, still studying him, drinking in the sight of him again.

"Well, for the past three weeks it's been just Leo and me so you can imagine!"

"I'm sorry," Nikki apologized.

"Don't be!" Harry said but Nikki just continued, "I didn't mean to dump everything and make it difficult for you and Leo. Besides, I thought Leo was going to hire someone temporarily while I was gone?"

"He was," Harry said, "But I wouldn't let him. I told him you'd promised to be back, I said we could manage until you did come back. And look here you are! I didn't want to risk Leo hiring another attractive young female pathologist for me to pine over. So here I am, overworked, but glad to have you back."

Nikki slowly shook her head and gave a little laugh. The man was nuts. "You are quite something, you know that?"

Harry grinned back at her. "I'll take that as a compliment. Now, maybe you would want to take a look at this tox report with me, see if you can make any sense of it?" he said, picking up the report from the chair and waving it at Nikki.

Nikki lifted her eyebrows in surprise.

"Well, you did come back to work, didn't you? Here's work for you, Dr. Alexander! We need you here…" Harry said lightly.

Nikki slowly smiled, "Alright, Dr. Cunningham. Show me and I will impart my wisdom"

They were both smiling like idiots as they got down to work. Together.