Wining and Dining

A/N: Obviously, these jump around a bit in terms of timeline but this is simply because they were written. (I have trouble with multi-chapter fanfics). As of this tale, Martha is the only one in chambers who knows that Nick and Niamh are dating because she managed to coax it out of Niamh one day (A still unwritten scene). I always thought those two would make great friends. And, fair warning, this is where the love scenes start to pick up in quality. And, for the record I did not design Niamh's dress, I found it online.

Timeline: Mid-October 2011

Nick considered simply walking away, embarrassed to be standing in front of his sister's door, waiting for her to answer simply so he could borrow money. But, he reminded himself that it was for Niamh and knocked again, relieved when she finally answered.

"Nick! What are you doing here?" Patricia asked with a huge smile on her face.

"I need to borrow some money," He replied as he stepped into her flat, which was covered with drawings, fabric and various, rather obnoxious, flowers and pieces of artwork.

"Um…Sure…How much?"

"Twenty. I promise to pay you back."

"And what are you planning to do with this?" Patricia teased.

"Just…Something. Alright?"

"What kind of something?" She asked, taking a twenty pound note from her purse

"Just give me the money."

"Not until you tell me what it's for," She said, holding it out of his reach as she backed up.

"Patricia," Nick warned.

"Nicholas," Patricia said back with a giggle.

Nick reached for the note, but she quickly jumped out of the way. He tried several more times, but gave up and confessed. "I want to take a girl out, okay? I've been working to get some extra money to take her to a nice restaurant and am twenty pounds short of my goal."

"Who is she?"

"None of your business," Nick said, reaching for the note again.

"Tell me who she is and it's yours," Patricia promised as she jumped out of reach again.

"I'm not in the mood for your games, Patricia."

"You will be if you want this money."

Nick sighed. "Her name is Niamh."

"Niamh who?"

"Niamh Cranitch. We're in chambers together."

"Ooh…Dating a colleague? Isn't that against the rules or something?"

"Not if we're the same age and in the same position, now give me that!" Nick said.

Patricia contemplated her choices and held the note out to him, slightly startled when he quickly snatched it from her.

"I don't remember you going through so much trouble for your other girlfriends…What makes her so special?"

"I don't know…She's just…different. Alright? Thanks for the loan. I'll pay you back soon." At that, he simply left, not bothering to answer her question. As he walked up the street, he dialed the number for the restaurant he had selected and made a reservation for the next night, relieved when they had an opening since Friday nights were their busiest. He walked into his own flat with a smile on his face and got to work on a defense for a trial set for the next morning at ten. But, before he headed to the courthouse he stopped by chambers, hoping to catch Niamh before she left for her own trial. Luckily, she was right where he wanted her-reading over her brief in their office. He quickly shut the door, not noticing the tiny crack between it and the frame, walked to her desk and set his hands on it.

"What?" Niamh asked, giving him a brief glance.

"We're going out tonight."

"What?" Niamh repeated, this time with confusion.

"I'm taking you out to a nice restaurant. Somewhere with candles and wine and overpriced food."

Niamh gave a small laugh and asked, "Really?"

Nick nodded. "It's why I've been doing those odd jobs."

"For me?"

"For us."

Niamh immediately jumped up and pulled him into a hug. "What time?" She whispered, not wanting to ruin the moment.

"Our reservation is for eight."

"I can be at your flat at…"

"No," Nick interrupted. "I want to do this right. I will pick you up at seven thirty."

"Are you sure?"

He nodded.

"In that case…" Niamh stepped back toward her desk and quickly wrote something on a piece of scrap paper. She then returned back to her previous spot and held it up for him to take. "Here's my address."

Nick smiled and put the paper in his pocket.

They stood in silence for a moment, unsure of what to say or do until Nick drew her in for a kiss. And, though she knew it was wrong to show such affection in chambers, Niamh couldn't help but get roped into it. She leaned against the edge of her desk as it grew deeper and longer, drawing him back when he broke off.

"You know, if you keep doing that it won't be a secret for much longer," Martha said, leaning against the door frame.

Nick and Niamh immediately broke apart, deep blushes prominent in both their cheeks.

"Martha…" Niamh said. "D…Did you need something?"

Martha tilted her head towards the clock, which Niamh immediately turned to.

"Oh, right. Let me get my things."

"Where are you going?" Nick asked after Niamh had gathered her belongings.

"Our trials are at the same courthouse. Martha's giving me a ride," Niamh explained as she headed out the door.

"So, what was that about?" Martha asked once they stepped into the car park.

"He's taking me out. Somewhere with 'candles and wine and overpriced food,' he said."

"Ah, the old wine and dine thing. Sounds kind of cliché, don't you think?" Martha asked as she threw her purse behind the driver's seat before getting into her car.

Niamh followed with a similar motion and entered on the opposite side. "Yes, but it's cliché for a reason," She said, adjusting her seatbelt as she spoke.

Martha smiled at her and took off. It was silent for awhile before she spoke again, asking, "So, what are you working on today?"

"It's the last day of my burglary trial…" Niamh replied, then she paused and asked, "Why won't Billy give me anything more exciting, like murder?"

"Probably because you're still in training. Don't worry about it, you'll work your way up to high profile cases."

"Nick's doing a traffic case today."

"I know. I helped him with it. I hope it goes well."

Niamh nodded. "Clive said the head of chambers was going to watch him."

"I wouldn't be surprised. He probably wants to see if Nick really is worth keeping around," Martha said, glaring at a red light as she stopped the car.

"I think he is. And not just for personal reasons. He's different…Doesn't quite fit in…Kind of like you."

"Thanks."

"I meant it in a good way. I swear."

"I know. So, how is it going with Nick?" Martha asked.

"Fine," Niamh replied flatly.

"Just, 'fine?'"

Niamh nodded, unsure of what else to say. She had no other word to describe it, and wasn't sure if she was ready to reveal her possible, budding feelings for him. Finally, she said, "We had our first stay-in date the other night."

"Stay-in date?"

"That's what he called it. He was tired from working all day, so I offered to come over instead of going out. He ordered takeout, we watched a film, talked for a bit…That sort of thing. I know it sounds lame, but I thought it was nice…sweet actually."

"And what time did you get home that night?" Martha teased as she scanned the courthouse's car park for a space.

Niamh gave a small laugh before replying. "Eleven. It would have been sooner but we fell asleep for an hour after the film."

Martha simply nodded as she finally stopped the car. "Will you need a ride back?" She asked as she stepped out.

"I don't think so. I'm not going back to chambers. I want to relax a little before my date."

"In other words, you're going to spend three hours going through your entire wardrobe."

"Pretty much."

They laughed and turned to head inside, saying nothing as they walked. Court was a place for work, not mindless conversation. Once inside, they went their separate ways, while, down the road, Nick stepped into another courthouse and quickly sought out his client. His was a small, drunk driving case to be heard in the magistrates' court that he hoped wouldn't take long. He, like Niamh, had planned to do some preparing for their date-including a bit of shopping. Unfortunately, it took longer than he thought, but he was out by eleven thirty and made a quick decision to stop for lunch before heading out on his errands.

Half an hour after he took off, a verdict was reached in Niamh's case and she set off on her own errands, her first stop being a very familiar place-the home of her best friend, Felicia. She knew Felicia wouldn't be home, as, she was on some sort of photography expedition in Scotland, not that it mattered, as Niamh wasn't looking for her but her mother, whom she knew was off on Fridays.

"Niamh!" A woman said as she answered the door. "What a nice surprise! I thought we wouldn't be seeing you until Felicia returned," She continued as she drew Niamh into a warm embrace.

"Teresa, I need a favour," Niamh said.

"What kind of favour?" Teresa asked, quickly ushering her inside.

"Can you do my nails? I have a date tonight."

"Of course, Sweetheart! What colour?"

"I'm thinking of wearing either violet or black so…whatever you think will match."

"How about sparkling silver? It's an all-purpose colour."

"Sure. And, can you do my toenails as well? Just in case I wear open-toed shoes?"

"No problem. Take a seat on the sofa; I'll be back with my stuff."

Niamh sat and removed her stockings, looking around as she did so and smiling at many of the pictures. Her favorite still sat in its place on top of the television centre-A picture of her and Felicia from back in preschool. They were both dressed as princesses, Felicia in blue and Niamh in violet.

Niamh smiled at it. Though they both looked a bit dorky, she loved it. It was nostalgic and showed how long they'd been together.

"What are you smiling about?" Teresa said, approaching her with a small, black case.

"Nothing. How have you been? How's Pippa?"

"I'm fine and Pippa's…well…a teenager. She misses her sister though-I know that much. What about you? How's life at the Barr?"

"Tiring. I just finished a trial and I'm sure I'll be getting a brief later," Niamh said, then, on cue her phone rang. She answered with her free hand, as, Teresa was filing her nails and said, "Hello?" She then sat back and listened, not saying anything for awhile, then she said, "That's fine. Can you drop it off in about two hours? Alright. Thank you."

"Work?"

Niamh nodded. "I have another brief. Apparently, I'm working with Martha on a murder case…I think she pulled a few strings because I mentioned not getting interesting work."

"Martha?"

"Martha Costello. She's a colleague and a QC."

Teresa nodded and motioned for Niamh to hold out her other hand.

"I don't get a lot of work, being a pupil, but I do what I can. I've had to work on the side to pay my rent a few times."

"Poor baby," Teresa teased.

"Not really. I have food, clothes and a place to live, which is enough for me."

Teresa smiled and began to apply a base coat while, at the same time, Nick stepped into a small shop. He had called his sister the previous night after leaving her flat to get a bit of advice on minor things-one of which being his attire. Her only suggestion had been to buy a new tie-something different from his usual collection. After a brief search, he settled on two-one black and the other violet. He picked up the violet one because it was Niamh's favourite colour, and he had a hunch that it would also be the color of her dress. If not, he figured that the black would match with anything and he could simply change them out. Afterwards he headed to a nearby florist and immediately sought out one of the saleswomen, as they knew what they were doing.

"Excuse me?" He said, stepping up to one young woman who was watering flowers.

"Yes?" She asked.

"I was wondering if…Well I…" He sighed. "I have no idea what I'm doing." He confessed.

The woman laughed. "Most men don't," She said humourously. "Do you have a general idea of what you're looking for?"

"Well…I'm going on a date and…"

"You want to bring her flowers," She finished for him.

"Yes. I know it's cliché and a little…stupid…but…"

"Not at all. I think it's sweet and love when my boyfriend gives me flowers. Does she have a favourite?"

"Not that I know of…But, her favourite colour is violet…And, I don't want much, just a little something."

"Violet, huh? I have an idea." The woman quickly grabbed Nick's hand and dragged him off. By the time he left, he had something he thought to be perfect, and it cost far less than he initially planned to spend. 'More money for dinner I guess…' He thought as he headed home.

"I love them!" Niamh squealed as she looked at her nails.

"I knew you would. Have fun on your date," Teresa said, gathering her things while Niamh slipped her stockings and shoes back on.

"I will," Niamh said. "Thanks again."

"Anytime, Honey. Tell your mother I said 'Hello.'"

"I will. I have to give her a ring soon." At that, Niamh left, knowing she had to get back to her flat before Billy showed up with her brief. She quickly made her way to the nearest station, hoping to catch the train quickly to avoid waiting around. Luckily, she caught it just in time and was soon at her flat, where, she threw her briefcase and purse aside and ran into her bedroom to search for an outfit for that night. She made her way to the closet, quickly pulled out half of the dresses she owned and threw them on her bed. Usually when she went on dates, she had an idea of what she wanted to wear, but this time she was utterly blank. Nick hadn't given many details, but she had a general idea of what he meant and began throwing all of the more casual dresses aside.

'Why must he make this difficult? I've never had this much trouble preparing for dates before! Then again, I was always told the place before we went…Stupid Nick and his lack of details!' Niamh though with a huff, throwing aside another sundress. She didn't have a lot of truly, fancy dresses, and the two she did have were far too much for a simple dinner. They were thrown with the rejected pile before she moved onto her collection of moderate evening wear, knowing that it was only the start. After the dress was picked she would have to pick jewellery, makeup and shoes.

Just as she reached for another potential choice, a knock came at the door and she rushed to answer it, knowing that it would be Billy with the brief. However, when she opened the door, Niamh found Jake instead.

"Where's Billy?" She asked. "He said that he would drop it off."

"He had to do something for Mr. Reader, Miss."

'Of course he would help Clive first…' Niamh thought with an eye roll. "Come in," She motioned Jake in and watched as he set several items on her coffee table. Along with a large binder, he set down a few different envelopes, two disks and a folder.

"The trial is set for Monday afternoon at one, but, Ms. Costello wants you to call her to discuss things beforehand."

"Alright. Thank you," Niamh said, eager to get him out to continue her preparations for the night.

"This is a…Nice little place. Too much purple for my taste though."

Niamh shrugged. "Violet's my favourite colour. Now, if you'll excuse me I have quite a bit of work to do."

"Alright then. Good day, Miss."

As soon as he was out the door, Niamh locked it, leaned against it and sighed before heading back to her room, deciding to worry about the brief later. She ended up going through her entire collection twice, almost ready to give up and settle, until she took one last trip to the closet. Behind her work clothes was something she had missed. She quickly pushed the other clothing aside and pulled out the dress, smiling when she looked it over. She had nearly forgotten about it. The dress had been a gift from her mother and had only been worn once at a family party upon her mum's suggestion. She hadn't thought much of it, simply putting it with her other clothes-until now.

'It's perfect!' She thought-at least, she hoped it was. Just in case, she set aside a simple, black dress for backup, then, she laid out her choice on the bed and turned to her jewellery.

Meanwhile, in his own flat, Nick shuffled around his own clothing, trying to find his pre-chosen outfit. He had already decided to simply wear his best suit, the problem was locating it.

'This is my fault for not doing the laundry!' Nick thought as he dug through a pile of clothes on the floor. He had found the trousers and jacket in his closet behind his work clothes, but couldn't find a decent shirt to match. 'Maybe it'll teach me to hang my clothes up once in a while.' He sighed and then glanced over at his chair when something caught his eye. Draped over his chair was a plain, white shirt he hadn't worn yet. His sister had picked it up on sale while shopping for her boyfriend's birthday gift. He got up from his spot on the floor and picked it up, it was as good as any, he decided and threw it with the other pieces of the outfit. He then pulled his best dress shoes from another pile and set them aside before proceeding to clean up the room. As he cleaned, he did some quick calculations in his head and decided that he had plenty of time and just enough extra money to go out and get at least half of his laundry done. As he gathered his clothes, Niamh sat at her coffee table flipping through the brief and discussing it with Martha via speakerphone.

"And, what are the past charges again?" She asked.

"There are two burglaries on record and accusations of fraud. It's on page ten," Martha replied, flipping though her own papers as chambers.

Niamh nodded, mostly to herself and flipped to the page in question, making notes in the margins as she put one of the discs into her computer. "If he's already got pages of form, why is he not in prison already?"

"One of the burglaries ended up being not guilty and he got out on bail on the second."

"If you ask me, he should have been in jail after the first," Niamh said as she studied the man's profile again.

"Unfortunately, it's not our call. Now, make sure you look through everything before you even step into chambers on Monday."

"I will. I promise."

"Pay special attention to the unused. I want to know right away if there's anything we can use."

"Right," Niamh nodded, making a note to herself on a stray paper. "One more thing."

"What?" Martha asked, impatiently shuffling papers around.

"Thank you for this. I know you must have pulled some strings."

"You're welcome. I thought you needed it after all of the minor cases you've been doing."

"I'll call if I find anything, alright?"

"Alright. Bye." At that, Martha hung up, leaving Niamh alone with her work until she got up to start getting ready for her date at five. She decided to start with a bath and put together a solution of her two, favourite scents-lavender and vanilla. Once the bathtub was full of both bubbles and perfume, she stripped and stepped in, letting the water relax her.

'It's been awhile since I've been able to enjoy a good bath…' She thought, giggling as a bubble popped in front of her face. She didn't know why she was suddenly giddy, but blamed it on her anticipation of the night ahead. Her last, nice dinner date had been with Clive and it was hardly a real date. It had been uncomfortable for her and was shortly before she started avoiding him socially. She knew that night would be different. She was never uncomfortable with Nick and they always had a nice time, even if they couldn't do anything but stay in and watch a film. Niamh sighed contently at the thought while, in his own flat, Nick stood at the foot of his bed folding his recently laundered clothes, answering his phone when it rang.

"Billy?" He asked, having read the ID.

"Do you have work for Monday?" Billy asked.

"No. Why?"

"Just got a brief in. You'll be prosecuting a rape case."

"Look, I really don't…"

"You need a big case like this to show the head of chambers your range and value."

"Why don't you give it to Niamh? Surely she'd be a better choice."

"Miss Cranitch has a murder trial on Monday."

"Fine. I'll do it. Can you drop it off tomorrow?"

"Why not tonight?"

"I have plans tonight."

"Well, I have plans tomorrow. I'll have Jimmy bring it by in an hour." At that, Billy hung up, giving Nick no chance to protest.

'Better start getting ready now, then…' He thought, setting his clothes aside. After he put them in their proper places, he double-checked his suit, making sure that he hadn't accidently mixed it in with his regular laundry and then headed into the bathroom for a quick shower. He took a bit of time, wanting to waste some of it so that he didn't feel as if he was preparing too early. He took his time with dressing as well, to assure that he looked good and proper since they were going to was an upscale restaurant. As he was finishing up his hair, a knock came at the door and he quickly ushered Jimmy in and out, not wanting any conversation unless it was about the case.

"Billy didn't say much…Just that the details are in the brief and that the trial is at ten," Jimmy explained as he set down a binder with the signature, pink legal ribbon. "You're mostly on your own, which is what the head of chambers wants. He won't waste money on both you and Niamh if one of you is useless."

Nick gave him a look, knowing he couldn't have come up with it on his own.

"Don't look at me. Billy said it," Jimmy confessed, then, he asked, "What are you all dressed up for?"

"I'm going out, alright? Thank you for dropping this off," Nick said, practically shoving the poor clerk out the door. Once Jimmy was outside, Nick shut and locked the door and stepped toward the brief. He contemplated going through it, since he had an hour and a half to kill before he was due at Niamh's. After a moment of pondering, he sat and began to flip through the documents, making mental notes as he did so while Niamh, who had just stepped out of the bath, busied herself with her hair. After she had it styled the way she wanted, she moved onto makeup before finally getting dressed and then transferring the items from her usual purse into the one she had chosen for the night. Finally, she sat to put on her shoes, but was interrupted by a knock.

'He's early…' She thought as she looked at the clock, which read seven-twenty. She quickly got up, unlocked the door and headed back into her bedroom, calling out a welcome as she walked away.

Nick entered and glanced around, noting that Niamh was nowhere to be seen. Just as he was about to call for her, she spoke.

"I'll be out in a minute!" She said. "Just let me get my shoes!"

Nick nodded, though she couldn't see it and stood in his spot, waiting patiently as he glanced about the small flat, which was bigger than his, but still quite small.

In her bedroom, Niamh slipped on her shoes and double-checked her appearance in the large, dressing mirror that hung on her closet door.

'Perfect!' She told herself, then, she took in a deep breath and stepped out.

At the sound of footsteps, Nick looked up and nearly fainted at the sight of her. She wore a short, spaghetti-strap, dark-violet dress that stopped an inch or so above her knees. It had a strip of silver outlined with violet beads directly under her satin-covered breasts. Underneath it was a violet midsection that stopped at the skirt, which was made of the same satin as the top. She had paired it with a simple, sliver and rhinestone bangle on her left hand, matching earrings, a silver handbag, and a pair of silver pumps. Her makeup was light and simple and consisted of a light-pink lipstick, a bit of mascara and glittering, silver eye shadow that enhanced her already stunning eyes. Her hair was simply left down and curled, as it often was on their dates, but it worked well for her-especially for this outfit.

He though his simple, black suit rather plain in comparison to her outfit, but was glad that he had chosen the violet tie.

"What do you think? If it's not formal enough I can change," Niamh said.

"N…No. It's…Prefect. You look…Stunning."

"Thank you," Niamh replied with a blush. She then took notice of the movement behind his back and tilted her head to get a better look.

Once he registered her look, Nick reacted and pulled a small, cute bouquet of violets and white lilies from behind his back. "For you," he said.

"Violets!" Niamh said, excitedly taking the bouquet form his hands. "And lilies! They're lovely…Thank you." She quickly sniffed them and turned to go into the kitchen. "Just let me get a vase…" She muttered at she searched her cupboards, quickly finding her only one with the glasses. After she arranged the flowers a bit, she set the vase on her main counter. "There. It matches perfectly."

Nick chuckled, quickly glancing about the flat again. "You do have quite a bit of violet."

"It's my favourite colour," Niamh reminded him as she stepped back into the lounge and grabbed her coat from the sofa, only to have it snatched out of her hands.

Nick held it out for her and Niamh slipped it on with a smile, quickly tying the sash once she was settled into it. He then held out his arm, which she gladly took, allowing him to lead her into the hall once she made sure the door was properly locked.

"You haven't told me where we're going," Niamh pointed out as she rested her head on his arm.

"You'll see."

"Do we have to walk or…"

"It's not that far, but we'll take a cab. It is cold."

"Alright."

Nick smiled as they walked together in silence. Once outside, he quickly hailed a cab and helped her in, a bit surprised when she leaned her head on his shoulder again. He couldn't resist the urge to run his fingers through her hair and did so until she slapped his hand away.

"You're going to mess it up," She said with a playful smile.

"Please?"

"No."

Nick sat back for a minute, then, with a sneaky smirk, he grabbed Niamh around her waist and tickled her, making her squeal and earning a strange look from the driver. "I think that's the first time I've ever heard you squeal like a girl."

"Stop it!"

Surprisingly, he obeyed and she returned to resting on his shoulder. It was a comfortable position for her and she was pleased to have a date who actually liked it. In the past, guys had told her to back off because of it and one in her sixth form class had even shoved her away for getting 'too close,' needless to say, that date didn't last long. They sat in a calm, relaxed silence until they arrived, stepping into the restaurant after Nick paid and tipped the driver. As soon as they stepped inside, the atmosphere changed, and the bustling London street life disappeared. It was replaced by a warm, calm air and the soft, romantic glow of candles.

"Oh…Nick…" Niamh gasped. "This is….wonderful. How did you ever…?"

"I told you. Odd jobs," Nick replied as they approached the maitre d', who asked,

"Name?"

"Slade. Nicholas Slade."

"Right this way."

"Since when do you use your full name?" Niamh whispered.

"It is a formal occasion," He said, moving to pull out her chair from the table.

Niamh smiled and quickly removed her coat before sitting down.

Nick took the coat when she had taken it off and draped it over the back of her chair before pushing it in and taking off his own coat. As soon as he sat they were given a listing of wine, which Nick immediately put down.

"It'll be the lady's choice," He told the maitre d', who nodded and looked at Niamh.

"Really?" She whispered to Nick, who nodded in response. Niamh smiled and after quickly reading through everything, found and selected her favourite red wine.

"I will inform your sommelier. Enjoy your evening," the maitre d' said, giving Niamh a look as he stepped away.

Nick narrowed his eyes, knowing that look. 'How dare he?' He thought, knowing that the man had clearly been checking her out.

"Is something wrong?" Niamh asked.

"No. Why?"

"No reason," She said, picking up her menu. "I have a murder trial on Monday."

"I heard."

"How?"

"Billy called me, said he wanted me to prosecute a rape case."

"I thought you didn't 'do' rape."

"That's Martha. I've never tried, and this is my first prosecution."

"First real prosecution you mean. Surely you did a few in law school."

"I flunked the first one," Nick admitted.

"Really?"

He nodded. "The professor was pretty harsh."

"Mine went well, though I spent the whole night worrying about it," Niamh said, looking up at the approach of the sommelier. She glanced at the label on the bottle of wine and nodded, watching as he quickly and expertly poured it, leaving after placing it in the bucket.

"Why must the staff stare at you?" Nick muttered.

"What?"

"The maitre d' and the sommelier were checking you out. You didn't notice?"

"Of course not," She said, reaching across the table for his hand. "I'm focused on you."

Nick smiled and lifted his glass in a toast.

Niamh repeated the motion and they turned back to the menu, while, on the busy street several people passed by, a few of them looking in, including two familiar faces.

Billy and Jake, who had just come from chambers, were on their way to the pub to meet with a solicitor when Jake suddenly stopped. He had been looking around, and after glancing into the restaurant he felt the urge to do a double-take and quickly backed up.

"What is it?" Billy asked, annoyed with the interruption.

"Is that Nick…With Niamh?!" He asked, staring at them through the window.

"What?" Billy joined him, his eyes widening a bit at the sight.

"What do you suppose they're doing?"

"It looks like they're on a date."

"Are you sure? For all we know it could be a discussion dinner between colleagues."

The moment he finished speaking, Nick lifted Niamh's hand and kissed that back of it, receiving a light giggle in response as he whispered, "You're beautiful."

"Does that look like a simple discussion to you?" Billy asked, watching as Niamh laughed at something he had said.

"What do we do about it?" Jake asked.

"Nothing yet. I'll speak with them on Monday. Right now, we're late," Billy replied, thinking as he walked off, 'I'll get to the bottom of this one way or another…Nothing happens in chambers without my knowledge.'

"I have an idea," Nick said halfway through their meal. They had spent quite a bit of time conversing and had only paused to eat, giving him an idea.

"What kind of idea?" Niamh asked.

"Well…Since we're getting to know each other, why don't we start telling secrets? If you tell me one of your guilty pleasures I'll tell you one of mine."

"Alright…" Niamh said, sitting back to think for a moment. "I've got one. When I've had a bad day, or am just not feeling well…Actually I don't know if I want to tell you. I've only ever told one other guy, but he laughed at me and I've never told another."

"Come on. I promise I won't laugh."

"Okay…What I do is," She started, refilling his wine glass as she spoke. "I pour myself a nice glass of wine and put on something comfortable, something that makes me feel…girly. Then, I set up the sofa just so, with a few pillows and my favourite blanket, and, when I'm just settling in, I watch my copy of Titanic."

"Seriously?" Nick said with a little laugh.

Niamh kicked him under the table. "You said you wouldn't laugh!"

"I'm sorry…It's just…Titanic…Really?"

"It's my favourite film! Don't tell me you've never seen it!"

"I did…Once…And fell asleep halfway through."

"We must remedy that. The next time we have a free afternoon, we'll watch it."

"It's a date then," Nick said, making her laugh.

"Your turn to tell a secret."

"Okay…Let me think…" Nick said, sitting back to ponder a moment. "When I was in sixth form, I worked in a pub for a bit, cleaning tables, wiping down the bar…that sort of thing. Anyway, there was this one night where I attempted to pick up one of the girls that just happened to be in a class of mine, only to find out she was actually on a date. Needless to say, her boyfriend wasn't amused with me and threw her drink in my face."

Niamh raised an eyebrow, utterly confused to the point of this tale.

"It was embarrassing, but I discovered that I have a taste for mixed drinks. The girly kind with strawberries and whipped cream."

"What?!"

Nick nodded. "It's not a habit, but more than once, I've gone on dates and passed my drink off as the woman's."

Niamh laughed. "Mixed drinks? Really? Even I don't like those!"

"Really?"

"I never took to them. I'll take a good beer over a daiquiri any day. But my favorite is champagne."

Nick shook his head, "You don't like mixed drinks, don't really have a liking for chick flicks and sleep around with colleagues. What kind of woman are you, Niamh Cranitch?" He teased.

"Your kind," Niamh whispered, giving his hand a quick squeeze.

It took Nick a moment to register her answer, and once he did he sat back a moment, unsure if it was a hint, or simply Niamh messing with him.

She smiled and they returned to their previous actions of eating and talking, bringing forth a bit more about their backgrounds and some rather interesting school tales.

"She hated me from the first day," Niamh said, speaking of a flatmate as she cut into the chocolate cake they were sharing. "It wasn't the best way to start off sixth form, but I learned to deal. To be honest, I didn't care for her or her choice of colour either."

"And what colour would that be?"

"She liked pink, and not just any pink-magenta. Magenta matched with mandarin orange. It's the most obnoxious colour combination in the world and it clashed with my violet décor."

"Sounds like my sister. She's always liked strange colors, though red is her favorite."

"And you?"

"Huh?"

"Do you have a favourite colour?"

"Not really. Colours aren't really my thing; I just go with whatever suits me."

"You are such a guy," Niamh sighed.

Nick chuckled and motioned the waiter over to ask for the bill.

"If you want I can pay for…"

"No. I told you, I'm treating. I worked hard to bring you here."

Niamh smiled. "And I'm grateful for it. It's been a wonderful evening, magical even."

Nick smiled back and glanced at the waiter when he appeared with the bill. After counting a series of bank notes, he left both the total and a tip, using nearly all of his savings for that night.

"Ready?" He asked.

Niamh nodded and stood, allowing him to help her with her coat. "It's not too late, if you want to go elsewhere."

Nick shook his head. "I'm ready to go home. Would you like me to take you back to your flat?"

"Isn't yours closer?"

"Yes but…"

"Then we can walk there. I don't mind staying with you for awhile," Niamh said as she linked her arm with his.

"Al…Alright."

The walk back wasn't long, but it was cold. Nick and Niamh huddled together to keep warm as they walked the path to his block of flats. Once they were upstairs and inside his flat, she slipped her coat off and looked around.

"I don't know what you're looking at, there's nothing new."

"I had a wonderful time tonight," Niamh said, turning and stepping toward him. "You're quite the charmer Mr. Slade, and you obviously made it a point to take care of me."

"Of course. I always take care of my women."

"So, I'm your woman now, am I?"

"That's not what I meant I…"

"Shush. I know," Niamh whispered, then she drew him towards her for a kiss. She had intended it to be small and sweet, but couldn't help her reaction as it quickly grew passionate.

After she broke away, he brought her back, deepening it and making it…possessive. Both of their senses were reeling as their bodies reacted to each other, the heat quickly growing.

Finally, Nick made his feelings known, whispering, "I want you…I want you in my bed, Niamh."

"Then take me there," Niamh gasped as she boosted herself up, and wrapped her legs around his waist. She pulled at his jacket as he carried her down his minimal hall to the bedroom, ripping it off of him shortly before they reached the door. Her shoes had fallen off along the way, but neither noticed nor cared.

"Are you sure about this?" He gasped in between kisses as he lowered her to the bed.

"If I wasn't, I wouldn't be in this bed with you," Niamh pointed out, bringing him back for another kiss, gently biting his lower lip, an obvious hint as to what she wanted. When their tongues finally met, she took control of the kiss, bringing forth a moan from him.

It took everything in his power to remove himself from her lips and move downwards, but he did, starting with her neck. This time, she had no intention to stop him as he gently nipped at her skin, bringing from her a series of small, sensual gasps. He slipped a hand underneath her back as he continued on, gently easing down the zipper on her dress as he kissed the tops of her newly exposed breasts. He made his way down her body, pulling the dress with him and relishing in her small gasps and sighs. Eventually he gave up his teasing and simply, almost forcefully, pulled the dress from her body, throwing it carelessly to the ground before coming up to kiss her again.

This time, Niamh didn't let him escape and kept her pressed to him as she took her hands to his shirt and fumbled with the buttons, wanting to take her time, but impatient to see and touch him. He helped by throwing it off once she finished with the buttons and then he quickly claimed her lips and headed down again, his hands finding her breasts, his fingers skimming over black lace.

"This has to go…" He whispered, speaking of her bra as he kissed her breasts. Though sexy, it was clearly in his way.

Niamh took her hands to his hair as he slipped his hand under her back again, quickly seeking and unhooking her strapless bra, which met the same fate as her dress.

He claimed her with both his hands and mouth, starting with the right breast, he used his tongue to tease her nipple before drawing it into his mouth to suck on it, making her moan. His hand caressing and fondling her untouched breast as he removed himself from the one he was focused on, placing tiny, intimate kisses and love bits over her flesh before moving to the next, giving it the same treatment as the first.

Niamh gasped when he finally removed himself from her chest and came back up to kiss her. She immediately took control of the kiss, refusing to let go until she was ready. She ran her hands down his back, arousing him with her nails before sneakily moving around to front of his trousers.

Nick tried to stop her, feeling as if it was a bit fast, but she was too quick for him. Before he knew it, her rather skilled hands had not only undone his trousers, but pulled them and his underwear halfway down. After helping her remove them fully he grabbed her wrists and forced her arms down on the bed before she could do anymore, staring and getting sucked into her gaze. It was a rather hypnotizing gaze of both lust and passion that had him immediately releasing her as he captured her again and again with deep, intimate kisses before moving down, past her breasts, to her stomach. He kissed his way downwards, running his hands along her sides, tracing every curve as he did so. His tongue slipped into her navel, making her tremble and sigh with pleasure. As he moved down he remembered that while he was fully naked, she was not as, her pants still remained. He remedied this as he descended even farther, making a sudden decision, he used his teeth to pull the final garment from her body, smiling at her gasp when he'd finally thrown it aside. Nick then moved back up. Starting with her ankle, he slowly kissed his way up her leg, her moans increasing with each kiss.

Niamh almost couldn't believe this was actually happening, or that he could be this bold, this dominant. 'Oh, God…What is he…?' She thought, quickly forgetting it and all other thoughts when his tongue found the sensitive jewel of her womanhood. She let out a startled gasp and a small cry, biting her knuckles to prevent herself from getting any louder.

She was already wet with her desire for him, her sweetness like honey as he pleasured her, relishing in her soft moans, knowing he was the cause. He moved sensuously slow, licking at her with swift, sure strokes, driving her mad with the pleasure of it.

She moaned his name as he continued on, feeling just a bit guilty about taking this pleasure and leaving him with none, but the thought was easily wiped from her mind as she felt the familiar build in the pit of her stomach.

He didn't let it get that far, stopping just before he sent her over the edge. He came back up to kiss her, startled when she forcefully flipped him over.

"My turn," She purred, quickly returning his kiss before moving down his body. She nipped at his neck in the same way he had done to her, with the intention to leave her mark. She wasn't sure if he had done the same with her, but didn't really care as she moved on, creating a trail of hot kisses down his body, smiling when it brought forth a long groan from him, but she wanted to hear more. Her hands joined her mouth as she gently worked his flesh, bringing forth the moans that she wanted to hear. They fueled her and made her want to please him more.

Nick considered stopping her, but only for a moment. The thought immediately left a moment later as she descended farther and farther, and, without a second thought, she took him into her mouth, her tongue encircling him the entire time, driving him to new heights of pleasure.

She went on for several moments, doing as he did and stopping shortly before she sent him over the edge. She then came back up to kiss him, not at all surprised when he pressed her closer, one of his hands resting on her back as he reached over and pulled at the drawer on his nightstand. It took him only a moment to find and pull out a condom.

Noticing this, Niamh knew it was time, but refused to give up her position. Without a second thought she quickly snatched it from him, amused by his slightly shocked expression.

"Let me," She said, going back down on him after ripping the package open with her teeth, a move that he found quite sexy. She took her time pleasuring him in the act of protection, then, she came back up and straddled him, and without saying another word, she came down on him, smiling at his startled gasp. She wasted no time with her movements and leaned down to steal a kiss, stopping him just before he flipped her back over.

"No," She said, holding his wrist to pin him to the bed. "No. You'll do what I want."

Nick knew he was at a loss and didn't bother to try again. He simply gave in as she finally got her kiss, a hard, heavy one that had her moaning with the feel of it.

When she finally released his hands, he took them to her breasts.

Niamh threw her head back and moaned as he caressed them, alternating between being gentle and rough before he ran his hands down her body, resting them on her hips. He gave them a soft squeeze, bringing forth a startled gasp from her.

It wasn't long before they both lost it and gave into their pleasure. Niamh throwing her head back and crying out without a care-if anyone else heard, so be it, she refused to keep quiet any longer.

Though he was a bit aggravated with her for crying out, Nick couldn't help but do the same-though he was quieter and less brash about it.

Finally, she collapsed next to him, trying desperately to steady her breathing as he wrapped an arm around her, gently kissing her hair.

"Well…" She finally said, "I'm pretty sure that wasn't a one-night stand."

"Definitely not," Nick agreed, running a hand down her side and resting it on her bum. "Has anyone ever told you that you have a really cute ass?"

"A few people," Niamh admitted. "What about you?"

"Well…I…Actually…"

Niamh giggled and rolled so that she was facing him and drew him in for a soft, sweet kiss.

He smiled against her lips and whispered, "Why don't we take round two a little slower?"

"Why don't we?" She replied, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Uh-uh," He said, moving over top of her. "I'm in charge this time."

When he woke the following morning, Nick was in a bit of a daze, unable to remember much about the previous night. He tried to sit up, but discovered that he couldn't…

Though she wasn't much of a cuddler, Niamh lay curled up next to him with her head resting on his chest.

He smiled at her, the memories of the previous night flooding back into his mind. They had fallen asleep after the second round, exhausted from both the day's work and their date, though neither complained about the latter. After a moment of staring, he ran his fingers through her hair, gently twirling them around her silk-like, blonde locks.

As if she knew she was being touched, Niamh shifted a bit and lifted her head, trying to make sense of the room through drowsy eyes. Part of her had no urge to get up; she was warm and comfortable and liked it.

"Good morning," Nick whispered as he continued playing with her hair.

"What time is it?"

"Why does it matter? It's Saturday. I propose that we stay here all day."

"I would, but you know that we've both got briefs to go over," Niamh said, moving so that her head was in the curve of his shoulder. "But, since it is Saturday, we don't have to rush…" She whispered with a sneaky, sexy smile as she drew him in for a kiss.

Nick drew her in closer-if that was possible and kissed her again and again, deepening each one a bit more as he moved one of his hands down, resting it between her legs.

"Oh, God…I want you," Niamh gasped in between kisses, running her hands down his chest as she spoke.

"I believe I can remedy that," Nick teased as he rolled her over. He wasted no time, capturing her in a series of kisses as he lazily ran his hands over her body. Soft, warm, sexy. She was all of those things and more he decided as he closed his mouth over a breast, bringing forth a soft moan from her as she arched against him.

"No…Not yet…I want to play first," Nick whispered.

"Play? What are you…?" She said, her statement ending with a loud squeal as he began to tickle her. She reacted quickly, and eagerly flipped him over, giving him the same treatment, the two of them rolling about the bed, kissing, laughing and exchanging sweet words. By the time he took her, Niamh wasn't sure whether to be aggravated or pleasured, and refused to admit to actually liking his teasing, despite her reactions to it.

"You torture me," She gasped when they finally collapsed.

"You liked it and you know it."

"Maybe," Niamh teased as she drew small, absent-minded circles on his chest.

"Are you sure that we can't stay here?"

"I wish, but I really need to get to work. I could also use a cup of tea," She said with a teasing smile.

"I can give you that and breakfast. Why don't I scramble up some eggs instead of giving you my usual cereal?"

"I like cereal, but never by itself. There has to be fruit involved."

Nick smiled. "You're an interesting one, Miss Cranitch."

Niamh giggled. "We really need to get up. Perhaps we should start with a shower," She said as she sat up. "We need to get hot and wet and all kinds of slippery." As she spoke, she slowly stood and walked away, fully aware of Nick's wandering eyes.

After a brief moment of contemplation, Nick went after her. There was no way he was giving up a Saturday morning shower date.

By the time Niamh had wrapped herself in a towel, she decided that Nick was as creative vertically as he was horizontally. He hadn't taken her, of course, but she discovered that he could do some very lovely tricks with his hands.

He had found her to be the same and thought about it as he threw together something for breakfast. She joined him awhile later, dressed in her clothes from the previous night.

"Are you sure you want to wear that?" He finally asked after they finished eating.

"I'll change when I get home. Would you mind walking with me?"

"Not at all. Anything besides that," He said, pointing to his brief.

Niamh rolled her eyes as she picked up and slipped on her shoes and coat, watching as he did the same before they stepped out. They spent their walk in silence, just enjoying the scenery and each other's company until they stopped in front of her block.

"I guess I'll see you on Monday. Maybe we could go out for lunch or something."

"Not when I have a trial at one. Rain check?"

"Alright," Nick nodded and then leaned down to give her a soft kiss. "See you."

Niamh smiled as he walked away and headed inside, her first priority being new clothes. Once she was dressed she picked up the phone and rang Martha so that they could work on the brief, knowing that it was going to be a long day.

Martha arrived at one and they spent hours hovered over documents, exchanging pens, highlighters and disks as they worked, trying to draw out all the necessary details to increase their chances of getting the verdict they wanted, only stopping for lunch, which was just a few leftovers Niamh drew from the fridge. She had a habit of making more than she would eat to give herself food for a few days and was more than willing to share.

"So, how was your date?" Martha asked.

"Fine," Niamh replied shortly, an obvious blush rising to her cheeks.

"Where did he take you?"

"I can't remember the name of it, but it was a nice, little place. There were candles and wine, as promised."

"And those flowers?" Martha pointed to the vase on the counter and picked up her glass, a little disappointed that Niamh didn't keep beer around regularly, leaving her with only water to drink.

"A little gift from him."

"What time did you get home last night?"

"Who are you, my mother?!"

"You're blushing."

"I am not!"

"This would be easier if you would just tell me."

"Eleven…This morning," Niamh admitted, adding, "Don't you say anything!"

"I won't…I will have to congratulate Nick though."

"Martha!"

"What?"

They laughed and Niamh turned back to her computer, studying the details of the pictures of the victim and crime scene, adding more to her pages of notes.

"Are there any DNA results?" She asked.

"Only for the victim, which doesn't help us."

"The victim's husband picked out client out of a police lineup, correct?"

Martha nodded.

"Who's to say he didn't mix him up with someone else?"

"The eyes, he says, were a giveaway. It's difficult because it's a stranger."

"What?"

"In many murder cases, the murderer is someone the victim knew, but they had no relation to this man as far as I can see," Martha explained. "Unless there's something in the unused?"

Niamh shook her head. "No. Not yet, anyway. I have yet to get through the whole thing."

"Keep looking. Any little detail will help."

Niamh nodded and they spent the remainder of the day and much of the next reviewing the details, preparing their defense and drawing out every little piece of information they could.

When Niamh walked into chambers Monday morning, she felt both confident and nervous, her biggest wish being that she didn't completely screw it up, since it was her first murder trial. She went over details in her head as she headed to her and Nick's room, her path soon being blocked by Billy.

"I need to speak with you," He said.

"Can it wait? I have to prepare for…"

"It'll only take a minute," Billy promised.

"Fine," Niamh sighed and followed him into the clerks' room, which was surprisingly empty, making her worry. "What is this? Am I being thrown out? Did I…?"

"Settle down. I just wanted to talk with you in private."

"Alright…"

"What's going on between you and Mr. Slade?"

"What do you mean?" Niamh asked, thinking, 'What would make him ask that? And how does he know anything? The only one I've told is Martha, and I know she'd never go behind my back.'

"I saw you with him on Friday. Jake and I both did, actually."

Niamh stepped back a little, trying to hide her rising nervousness. She didn't want him on anyone in chambers to know about them, not yet. It was no business of their other colleagues and she felt that their knowing would make a mess of things.

"A nice restaurant, fancy clothes, candles, wine…It looked like a date to me."

"Well, it wasn't. He invited me out to discuss our cases. We like to work together and get ideas from each other. It's rather helpful since we're both new."

"Why do I have the feeling you're lying to me?"

"I don't lie!" Niamh said, obviously offended. Of course, she did lie; everyone did at one point in their lives, did they not? It was not as if she lied about anything important, her personal life was her business.

"Fine. If there's really nothing going on…"

"There isn't."

"If there's really nothing going on," Billy repeated, aggravated with her interruption. "You may go."

Niamh simply turned and left, knowing she'd have to talk to Nick about being more careful on their dates, not that it was either of their faults. She simply wanted him to be aware of it.

As soon as Niamh had left, the other clerks returned to the room, though, Billy didn't notice, she simply stared out the window. 'I know what I saw. She is lying, but I can't force to speak,' He thought, watching as Martha stepped into chambers. 'I can however, get someone else to tell me.' He knew Martha had been spending time with Niamh lately and figured that if anything was going on with her, she'd know. He knew that women talked, and not just about cases and solicitors. Without a second thought he headed to her room, knocking to make his presence known.

"What now, Billy?" Martha sighed. "I have a lot to do and I…" She trailed off as he closed the door.

"What do you know about the relationship between Miss Cranitch and Mr. Slade?"

"Anyone can see that they're friends," Martha replied with an annoyed sigh, thinking, 'Why is he asking me? It's none of his business.'

"Do 'friends' usually go out to fancy restaurants together on Friday nights?"

"Depends on the occasion."

"Like a date?"

Martha sighed and threw down the coat she had been holding. "I know what you're doing and you're not going to get anything from me. What they choose do to in their private life is no business of mine or yours! I don't know what made you think I would give you any sort of information. If you're so curious ask Niamh or Nick. Now, if you excuse me, I have a trial to prepare for," At that, she left the room and headed to Niamh's to share her recent findings from that morning.

Billy sighed, thinking, 'There's something strange going on here and I will get to the bottom of it. Nothing happens in these chambers without my knowledge and I intend to keep it that way.'