A/N: Thank you for the reviews on the previous chapter, I love reading them. There will be another couple of chapters to this since I haven't used my original idea. This is just random babble, and thanks to Ciara for helping me with a certain idea in this :p hope you like it! :)

~Mini Peacelet~


Part 3

Skeletal but sturdy heels tapped rhythamatically as they frequently collided against the cheap and nasty, already scuffing and fraying, linoleum surface that floored the corridors. Piercing echoes, a noise of authority, penetrated through the thin walls and doors with every collide, chasing the rare silence these corridors obtained away.

Christine knocked lightly on the wooden door, painted in a dull blue paint that had chipped and flaked over time, making her presence known before strolling into the classroom, folders tucked under her arm. Really, the errand was a small task that she should have instructed her secretary to complete, after all that was Sonya's job. What she was about to ask wasn't even that important either, not like she was going to claim, but she wasn't about to miss the opportunity to see the brunette's beautiful face.

Nikki paced towards the front of her classroom, leaving the student she had just been assisting with their English work, "Miss Mulgrew, how can I help?" She inquired, perching on the edge of her polished desk crafted from pine wood. Her thick northern accent was as prominent as ever, and to Christine it felt so good to be able to hear it again; she would never get bored of that voice and accent. Ever.

Christine presented the folders that accompanied her from her office, clasping them in her elegant fingers and unable to help but smile now she was presence of her lover, "I need you to check over these folders for me," she always asked one of her deputy's to check through files before they were posted; she had the choice of Nikki or Simon - there really wasn't any contest, "I really need them back quickly, like the end of the day?" It was a hyperbole, but she didn't really care.

Nikki nodded and accepted the folders, briefly flicking through the mass of white paper, "okay," she smiled, displaying her pearly-white teeth, "I'll get it back to you as soon as possible." She placed the files on her desk, then regained her equilibrium and scanned the span of her classroom, checking that everyone was still working quietly.

"Thanks Nik, I mean Miss Boston." Christine quickly corrected herself, chewing her bottom lip as she battled to contain the laughter that developed inside her from no where. She was thankful her back was to the pupils, "I'll see you later," she said before departing the room.

The chatter started to increase subsequently to the headmistress disappearing, "Alright you lot, continue with your work. Quietly." She requested as she sat down into her office chair, focusing to concentrate on the file Christine wanted her to inspect.


Due to an unanticipated number of teachers off sick and the lack of supply teachers that had actually arrived at the school, any members of staff that had free periods had no choice but to cover some lessons. And that included Nikki. The no nonsense woman had desired to spend the afternoon finishing some outstanding paperwork, probably in her girlfriend's office. But now she had to cover an English class of seventeen and eighteen year olds.

Nikki permitted for the soft fabric of the chair to absorb her body, impatiently awaiting her class to arrive. The sooner the lesson started, the quicker it would finish. "Settle down," she requested, although it wasn't up for discussion, it was an urgent requirement. Then proceeding to read the register, hovering over the name 'Connor Mulgrew'. She was still wearing his mother's shoes; now she was going to have to be extra vigilant if she was to succeed in keeping their secret relationship private and confidential. She recovered her balance reluctantly, conscious of the footwear that in all honesty was the reason her feet were aching acutely. The brunette progressed to hand out the current book they were studying as well as the worksheet.

For a second time that day, Christine ambled the vacant corridors, basking the luscious silence, her destination Nikki Boston's classroom. Her thoughts resembled her partner's, unbeknown to either of them, but she had also hoped to devote her afternoon to being in her company, so was disillusioned when she discovered that she was teaching.

She tapped on the door, clasping her fingers around the metal door handle - a contrast in temperature compared to the palm oh her hand - and pushed the door open, just enough to appear round the corner. She was positive her heart skipped a couple of beats when her intense orbs caught a glimpse of Connor as she recalled the events of the morning, "Can I have a word outside, please?" She asked, struggling to speak as her breathe caught in the back of her throat.

Nikki nodded, an adequate reply. Then she diverted her attention back to her class momentarily, "I'll be back in a minute, keep the noise level down and continue with your work please." She instructed and followed Christine into the corridor.

"Did you volunteer to cover that class?" Christine queried, anxious that Connor would suspect something. He couldn't suspect something. She wasn't ready to confide in him about her latest partner.

"No," Nikki was swift to defend herself, "Sonya sorted the rota - I just went where I was told."

Christine cursed beneath her breath for not checking when Sonya had endeavoured to see if it was okay, "Do you think he's noticed your shoes?" She was zealous for any details.

"I don't know," Nikki admitted truthfully, "I haven't heard him say anything to Imogen or anyone if that's what you mean..." Connor had noticed that her footwear was different to her usual choice, only because she wasn't walking with as much ease. He had thought they looked similar yo a pair his mum owned but thought nothing more of it.

Christine nodded, leaning against the white painted windowsill, inhaling a deep breath to calm her faintly erratic breathing.

"What did you want to ask me?" Nikki asked, conscious that she had left her class unattended. They were old enough to be responsible, but they were all bound to take advantage of having no teacher. That's what teens did.

She paused, it had totally slipped the blonde's mind what the original reason was for her interrupting Nikki's lesson. It was something she tried to avoid as it wasn't very professional. Despite their personal involvement, at work she was more than aware that Nikki was extremely professional and strictly career orientated at work. She thought quickly, babbling the most irrelevant and stupid question she could think of in her state of panic, "Well there's a spider on the ceiling of my office, and I can't reach it. Sonya's petrified of them as well."

Nikki couldn't decide whether to frown or laugh at such a sincere, immaterial request, "Christine, I'm teaching. Can't it wait?"

Christine shook her head sheepishly, "Nik...you know I don't like them. It won't take you five minutes, please?" She was practically pleading. At least her ability to act made it a little more believable.

"What about my class?" Nikki wasn't often unprofessional. That class was her responsibility for the hour, should anything go wrong then she would have to accept the consequences.

Christine wasn't normally this lapse about this sort of thing, "You'll only be five minutes, it'll be fine. Come on."

Nikki followed hesitantly and was less than impressed to see that the spider that was creating such a problem was tiny, "It's tiny, Christine. It's more scared of you than you are of it." She shook her head in dismay, but a soft laugh escaped her lips.