Author's note 1: This chapter contains a little tiny sexual reference, barely noticeable but you know what Harry and Nikki are like :) Just thought I'd warn you innocent minded people!
Leo and Janet were sitting in an upmarket restaurant catching up with each other. Leo could see Janet wanted to ask him something but clearly didn't have the courage to do so
"Janet, are you ok?" Leo said after a short silence
"Leo…" she began before pausing to try and find the right words "I don't want to be keeping you from someone else, there's clearly someone else in your life and I don't want to step on anyone's toes"
He frowned trying to work out what Janet meant and eventually he broke into a smile when it clicked
"What?" Janet said unable to understand Leo's reaction
"You think there's another woman in my life?" Janet nodded
"The one I spoke to on the phone…"
Leo cut her off "Well then yes technically there is another woman in my life but she's only seventeen…"
Janet looked confused "I don't understand"
"The person you spoke to on the phone was my foster daughter" Leo explained
"Your foster daughter! when did that happen?"
"A couple of months after we worked on that case" Leo smiled at the memory
"Ok you're going to have to start from the beginning because I am really confused" Janet said shaking her head slightly as she tried to comprehend what Leo was telling her.
Leo began to explain how he had found a young girl in the car park of the lab; he'd taken her in and tried to get her warm. He told her of how she had hypothermia and had to go to hospital and that's when they found out she was a runaway. He decided not to tell Janet about the abuse or rape, he knew there was a trust between him and Erin on that front and he knew she didn't like having her private life invaded
"So after her mother died she was taken into care of social services but she managed to make her way back to us and that's where we are now" Leo finished
"This Erin then…" Janet said, Leo paused waiting for Janet's reaction "What's she like?" she smiled as Leo launched into a detailed description of her personality
"She's quite shy but a chatterbox when you get to know her. She's a talented artist and loves reading" Leo said and Janet couldn't help but notice how his eyes sparkled when he talked about the young girl
"She sounds lovely"
"I'd love you to meet her" Leo said looking for Janet's reaction
"Really?" Janet asked
"Really" Leo confirmed "I'm serious Janet, you're a very attractive woman…."
"…Thank you Leo" Janet laughed
"And I'd like you to meet the other woman in my life" he grinned
"It sounds wonderful" Janet said leaning over the table and giving Leo a peck on the cheek
The older man blushed slightly at the display of affection but still managed to kiss her back, both broke apart smiling at each other as they held one another's gaze
"Harry" Nikki said flopping back onto the bed "You are amazing"
"You weren't bad yourself" he said moving next to her looking a little out of breath
"You need a new bed though" Nikki said shifting her position slightly "I've got a spring in my back"
"You could always lie on top of me if it's that uncomfortable" Harry grinned and Nikki hit him on the arm
"I might take you up on that offer" she grinned running hand through his dark hair
"I love you Nikki" he breathed
Nikki froze at the revelation "Really?" she said propping herself up on her elbow so she could look at him
"Yes" Harry nodded stroking her cheek with his finger
"Oh good…" Nikki said lying back down, Harry frowned
"Harry?" Nikki said after a short silence
"What?" He turned to look at her
"I love you too" she said smiling up at him
"Oh good…" he mimicked making Nikki squeal with laughter "Nikki?"
"What?" she said curling up in his arms
"Does this mean we're a proper couple now? I mean we've slept together and confessed our love for each other"
"I think so…" Nikki frowned deep in thought "I hope so…"
"Me too" he said placing a kiss upon her lips "We should do couple-y things like…."
"Have romantic meals?" Nikki suggested
"Get drunk and not regret it in the morning?" Harry said with a cheeky grin
"Walks in the park?"
"Move in together…" Harry said and nikki looked at him with her mouth hanging open
"We've only just got together" she squeaked
"We've known each other years and we've been an unofficial couple for at least the last couple of years"
"Oh have we?" Nikki said rasidsng an eyebrow with a smile on her face
"You know we have" Harry sighed dramatically "And there is a credit crunch on so it makes ecomnical snese for people to house sharre"
"I see, so we're not really rushing our relationship because we are madly in love with one another we're just being economically viable" Nikki said trying to look serious
"Exactly" Harry said tapping her on the nose affectinatly
"You can move my stuff in on Monday then" she said snuggling up against Harry
Harry grinned at Nikki and ran his hand through her hair "I really love you" he whispered but Nikki was already asleep
Erin's tears soon stopped flowing and she gasped trying to catch her breath, she caught sight of her reflection in the mirror and saw the dirty tear tracks left on her face from her crying session. She felt exhausted but she sensed a load had been lifted from her shoulders.
She got herself up off her bed, her legs slightly wobbly from being tightly curled up underneath her. She stumbled downstairs and into the living room, she was determined to show everyone that she was a strong, capable girl who could look after herself. She picked up the pile of school prospectuses she and Leo had been sorting through and she was determined to show Leo just how capable and mature she was. Erin wiped away the last of her tears, sniffed and then started studying the prospectuses.
Leo stopped his car outside Janet's house and turned towards the woman sitting next to him
"I'd invite you in but I think you have someone to be getting home to" Janet smiled and Leo nodded
"Sorry" he apologised
"What are you sorry for?" she said tilting her head on one side "She brought about a change in you Leo, one for the better"
Leo smiled "She certainly is something special"
Janet nodded "Now go home and tell her that" Janet said giving Leo a peck on the cheek as she got out of hid car
"I'll call you" he called after her
"I know you will Professor Dalton or there will be trouble" Janet grinned as she turned towards her house
Leo smiled to himself as he watched Janet go into her house, he drove down the quiet roads felling very pleased with himself. He decided to be open and honest about Janet to Erin, if she hadn't guessed already. That girl was defiantly something special there was no doubt about that, Leo just had to show it to the world.
Authors note: Apology time!
1) Sorry for this being a shorter chapter
2) Sorry for not updating yesterday
I went to the doctor about the dog knocking me over, he was worried because I fell on my broken arm and it was still hurting. So he sent me to the hospital where I spent most of yesterday being prodded and poked. Basically I've bruised my broken arm and broken it in another place (givig me the grand total of 4 places) I am not a happy bunny :'(
