Thank you to everyone that has read the first chapter, sorry I took down 'never say never' it just wasn't right. I hope you are enjoying this fic and would really love to hear your thoughts if you have a spare minute. Enjoy.

...XxxxX...

Chapter two- The things that are left behind

Leo knew that Nikki wasn't okay she hadn't handled Harry's departure particularly well and it was evident in every part of her. She was looking tired, there were dark circles permanently etched under her sullen brown eyes that no amount of makeup could cover and her eating habits, although never normal were now completely erratic, that is if she ate at all. When he had first left she had seemed okay, better than this but as the weeks passed something changed and she had become a different person, he knew something wasn't right but he didn't want to push her too far, not when she was so fragile.

Leo watched his younger colleague as she sat at her desk staring at the empty seat opposite her, Harry's jacket still hanging on the back of the chair like he had just popped out to a scene. Leo had tried to move the jacket and clear the desk but Nikki had threatened to kill anyone that moved a thing claiming that she would sort through it when she was ready, it had been five weeks and she still wasn't ready, he doubted that she ever really would be because sorting out his things meant admitting that he had really left her and she couldn't so that. The buzzing of his mobile forced him to pull his gaze away from his blonde colleague and take the call, the person on the other end of the phone not someone he was expecting to hear.

"Hello Leo how are you?" Harry asked as cheerfully as he could muster. Leo hadn't been expecting him to call today, he never called without agreeing a time first.

"I'm fine Harry, how are you?" Leo answered clearly a little taken aback by the unexpected call.

"I'm okay actually, think I've finally found an apartment I like and I'm getting used to the classes now." He replied but there was something in his tone that told Leo this was not what he had really called for.

"Good, that's good but what did you really call for?" Leo asked, straight to the point as he always was.

There was a slight pause whilst Harry collected his thoughts and then he spoke, "Look Leo I know I have no right to ask but I was wondering how Nikki was doing, is she okay? She hasn't replied to a single one of my emails, she won't return my calls and I'm almost positive she's blocked me on Skype. I don't know what to do, I just want to hear her voice." Harry said his voice almost desperate.

Leo sighed loudly audibly before answering his former colleague knowing that he would have to choose his words carefully, "Listen Harry, Nikki she's stubborn just like you actually. Once her mind is made up it's hard to get her to change it, you know that better than anyone. I think she's still processing everything, mourning, she's hurting Harry because there is something missing and that something is you. I know that you want me to tell you that she's moving on but right now she couldn't be farther from it she'll come around in her own time but until then I promise I'm keeping a close eye on her." Leo said honestly.

"I know Leo I just wish it didn't have to end like this." Harry answered sadly.

"Who said anything about it ending? Life's short Harry and eventually you'll realise that the only thing that is final is death. That's the only thing you can't come back from, with everything else there is a choice. She'll come round Harry just don't stop trying." Leo replied, his wise words running quickly through Harry's head.

"Thanks Leo, you always did know the right thing to say, I just hope you're right."

"Aren't I always? Actually don't answer that." Leo joked.

"I have to go my lunch break is almost up but thanks again Leo, talk to you soon."

"Yes bye Harry and remember, keep trying nothing worth having ever comes easy."

After ending the conversation Leo made a point of physically checking on Nikki, she really did look awful and he hated seeing her like this. Something had definitely happened between the two of them before Harry had left and he now wished he had insisted that Harry stay with him for his last week in London, he should have offered to go to the airport too, maybe then she would have taken his departure better, maybe.

"Nikki did you want to get off early today there isn't much left to do and I can manage, there's no use you sitting at that desk staring into space when you could be at home sleeping." Leo asked her carefully.

"I'm fine Leo, it's fine." She replied but she sounded far from fine, she sounded exhausted.

"I'll try it a different way than shall I. Nikki I want you to go home and get some rest please, I'm worried about you." He said a little more firmly this time.

"You don't need to worry about me Leo I'm okay."

"You're not though are you? Please get some rest Nikki if not for yourself then for me." He tried again and gave her a supportive squeeze on the shoulder.

Nikki blinked rapidly and composed herself before replying once more, "I will be Leo, I will be okay I just need time to figure some things out." She answered seriously.

"I know you do but for now you need to sleep."

"I'm going just give me 5 minutes to get my stuff then I'm gone okay."

Leo nodded and returned to his office watching her as she slipped on her coat, picked up her handbag and got her car keys out ready to go, He watched her pause at Harry's chair on the way out and take the black jacket with her out of the lab giving him a small wave as she passed. A small step forward or two steps back, he didn't know but he knew that moving the jacket from the chair meant that something in her head had changed.

...XxxxX...

Nikki sat alone in her front room wearing the jacket she had taken from the lab that evening, it still smelt of Harry, he hadn't worn it in over a month but the smell of his aftershave lingered in the fabric and there were no words to describe the comfort that this brought her. He had tried to make her promise to be okay but she hadn't made that promise because she knew that she would break it, how could she be okay when she didn't have him anymore. Of course he was never really hers, not really but that hadn't stopped them been together as friends, family, fighter, and in that final week lovers. She never actually told him she loved him, aware that he was leaving and afraid that saying the words aloud would make it harder to let him go but it didn't matter, she didn't tell him and it still hurt like hell. She should have told him but now there was little point, now there was something else that she needed to tell him but she couldn't not yet.

She should have been more careful really, they should have both been more careful. As scientists they were both acutely aware of the risks of unprotect sex, she was aware of that she had forgotten to take her pill a few times that week but they had gone ahead and done it anyway, more than once. It was stupid, desperate, ten years of frustration had led to a week of what could have been and now she suspected that their week of playing house had possibly created another life. At first she had put it down to stress and not eating but she had now missed two of her monthly cycles and it didn't take a doctor to work out the odds. The pregnancy tests were still in their packets sitting lined along the bathroom sink, she would put it off for one more day. Nikki took Harry's jacket with her and climbed into bed allowed his scent to fill her nostrils once more as she closed her eyes, she really was tired and so tonight she let herself sleep, she gave in to the fatigue that had tried to fight for the last few days and she slept. Tomorrow she would start to move on, tomorrow she would face up to the future, tomorrow she would take the tests.