You're always attracted to the ones you shouldn't be. She was smart, feisty, beautiful- perfect. And then you blew it.
Last week…
It was a crisp winters day and you and Nikki were out Christmas shopping making up ridiculous gifts for friends. "That's perfect for Leo," she laughed throwing back her head, teeth sparkling even whiter than her porcelain cheeks. You laughed too, entranced by her evident joy. She asked you a question whilst you were staring. "What?" you asked cursing yourself for being so obvious. "I said, do you think he would like it?" she asked again, a sparkle in her eye that laughed at your idiocy. Damn, you weren't even looking at what she pointed at. You followed her gaze to a small leather book embossed with the words,
'Finest boss,
And best worrier'
You grinned, "I'm sure he would- it suits him perfectly."
"Hmm maybe we should ask Janet," she said, a small dent between her sculpted eyebrows. This time you rolled your eyes- typical Nikki. Always second guessing herself outside of the lab. Inside she was too sure of herself- cocky almost. Then again she could say the same about you, the source of all arguments.
"Its fine Niks," you reassure her. Her golden head turns from the diary to your face. "You think?" she asks her eyes searching your face for any sign that you might be having her on. "I do," you reply firmly hoping to get away from this shop window as quickly as possible because you both look strange having stood there for 20 minutes looking at all on offer. "Ok then," she says finally, gliding into the shop. You follow exasperatedly.
But you can't forget the look she gave you moments before spotting the gift. It was searching, filled with amusement at a comment you had given about a particular old granny who looked at you with disapproval and laced through with something that made your whole body tingle with excitement, fear and wonder. You felt this so often you were getting used to it but you couldn't help but wonder why it was happening. You'd been best friends for 5 years for Gods sake- you knew each other inside out. But that one look stumped both of you and you weren't going to stop until you knew what it was.
Days later…
Now you were sat in the office on the night before Christmas Eve watching her. She was so beautiful… Suddenly she started and her head jerked upward. You quickly looked away worried she had caught you. Her melodious voice once again caught your attention and you looked to where she was now standing up and coming towards you. "I've got it," she exclaimed again catching your hand and pulling you towards the cutting room.
Ignoring the jolt that ran through your body when her skin touched yours, you hurried with her turning her small soft hand over so it fit better in your large rough one. She looked back and grinned wildly at you. "I've got it," she reminded you.
"What have you got," you ask humouring her childlike excitement.
"The cause of death on the Parkinson case," she told you her large chocolate brown eyes melting into yours and turning your brain to mush. "Kay," you answer stupidly, not being able to form a fully coherent answer. She rolled her eyes, "So I think that the screwdriver Ian was carrying somehow made its way to the house through the river next to it…" she carried on into science talk.
You just watched her face animate even more as you reached the cutting room where she could demonstrate her point. She tried to make her delicate frame into a huge bulky one, that of Ian Malkin, and showed you how the screwdriver fell from the top floor and pierced his skull. She thought it must have been dropped by a mystery murderer.
"And so he had to have been murdered or the angle would be completely different," she finished with a flourish. You clapped twice with a wry smile, amused at the pleasure she always took of solving a part of a tough case. "Very good," you tell her fondly walking over and taking her in your arms, folding them round her sagging back.
"You're exhausted," you mumbled into her hair.
"I know," came her voice from your shoulder where she buried her face. "But do you believe me?" she asked seriously raising her head again.
"Of course." You tried to placate her putting your face on top of her head again and applying pressure to lower it back onto your shoulder again. She relaxed in your arms as soon as her forehead hit your collarbone and she sighed softly- her warm breath blowing over you. You kissed the top of her head gently, platonically of course, and squeezed her tighter.
"Come on," you whispered into her ear. "I'll take you home." She nodded sleepily, untangling herself from you slowly. You slung your arm around her shoulders and led her through the doors waving with your free hand to Leo who watched with an amused expression.
You led her to your car and opened the passenger door to let her in. "My car," she mumbled.
"I'll get it later," you told her pushing her slightly through the doorframe. She just nodded.
When you arrived at her door she was fast asleep. Smiling slightly you got out as quietly as you could and walked round to her side. Opening the door gently, you placed an arm around her back and the other under her knees and lifted her carefully out of the car. She was as light as a ragdoll and about as lively, motionless and gently snoring adorably. Her arms had somehow found their way around your neck and you grinned as she pulled herself closer to your warmth. You held her tighter, shielding her from the night. Christmas had come and gone; now it was January and colder than ever. Closing the door with your foot you fumbled around in her pocket as unobtrusively as possible for her key. Eventually you found it among empty chewing gum packets, sugar sachets for on the go coffee and spare parts of goodness know what contraptions. Lifting your hand from where it rested on her hip but supporting her weight still with your arm you opened the door and carried her through kicking shut the door gently. You waited for the lift to her flat and studied her sleeping features. She was so peaceful asleep; awake it was often like the weight of the world rested on her shoulders. You were glad to see her relaxed. Resisting the strong urge to tuck her soft blonde curls away from her face so you could study her better you walk through into the now available lift and nudge floor 27 with your wrist.
Waiting for the lift to go up you reflected on the day and the monstrosities that lay in wait for capture as soon as you proved they were monsters. You returned your thoughts to her as she stirred slightly. It took you a moment to realise she was agitated from the pinging of the lift bell that meant you had reached her floor. Carrying her quietly past the doors of the neighbours you both knew, you watched as she turned slightly against your chest snuggling closer when she felt you relax at the sight of her door. You just wanted her to be safe in bed and wake up the next morning refreshed and renewed.
You inserted the key into its slot and turned it, careful not to jolt her or make too much noise. Stepping over the threshold you hurried to her sofa and laid her down supporting her head on some cushions. You smiled as she shifted agitatedly, annoyed at the loss of your warmth. You tidied around her flat setting the coffee machine to make yourself a cappuccino.
Walking back to the sofa you scooped up her small warm frame and carried her tenderly to her bedroom. Holding her weight with one arm you take back the covers and laid her down. You took off her ridiculously high heels that you love to tease her about and gently pulled off her coat, lifting her and taking it from under her. You placed both neatly at the end of the bed and drew the covers up to her neck. She shifted to get comfortable and as she did so a lock of hair fell over her face obscuring her dainty features. We couldn't have that now could we? You gently pulled the curl back from her face leaning down and kissing the spot on her cheek where it had rested. "Night Niks," you said quietly before going and drinking your coffee on your makeshift bed of the sofa, lying where Nikki previously had and enjoying the warmth her body had left.
Next morning
You woke to Nikki's tuneless hum as she busied herself around the kitchen. You grinned and walked slowly into the room next door. She didn't see you so you walked quietly behind her and wrapped your arms around her small waist whilst whispering in her ear, "So whats for breakfast?" She jumped and turned in your arms resting her hands on your shoulders. She smiled as she saw who it was and replied "Berry pancakes." You grinned also and pulled her into a 'Harry hug'. "Yum," you said. She sighed again contentedly and smiled against your neck. Then she pulled away saying, "Which berries do you want? We have blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries…"
"Greenberries, fozberries, yellowberries, schnozberries…" you teased. "Yes, yes," she laughed pulling away completely and turning towards the stove behind her again. You sighed inwardly at the loss of her from your arms. Standing close behind her so your chest touched her back slightly and your nose was filled with the scents of shampoo and perfume and her… Your eyes closed involuntarily.
She turned around again and saw your closed eyes. "Umm." You quickly opened them again to find her staring at you with big brown doe eyes. "Uh, sorry," you said taking a step back. She just looked at you as she did once that day before Christmas Eve.
"Um," she returned to the pancakes hesitantly and with a forced smile presented some laden with all types of berries to you. "A scnozberry special."
"Thank you," you said also faking a smile. You walked into the living room and sat down pondering the past few minutes. She too walked in sat down next to you, though a little further away than usual. You noticed this and scooted closer. You might have imagined it but you thought you saw her flinch. "So…" you say trying to make some conversation, awkward though it was. "Uh, so whats the weather for today then?" she looked at you like you were completely patronising her. "Just eat the pancakes Harry."
They sat in silence eating their breakfast. I decided just to go for it. "Nikki I…" Then the doorbell went. Her eyes flickered from where they had been fixed anxiously on my face to the door. "I'll get it," she said quickly moving from the table to answer the door.
"Leo," she breathed when she saw who it was.
"Leo," I sighed. That man really does have the worst ever timing.
"I just called to say there's been four new bodies found in a clearing near here- we need you in now." She nodded, her curls bouncing gently. "And," he peered round her. "Tell Harry too."
I rolled my eyes.
"I saw that," he called turning away as Nikki closed the door.
She spun to look at me and sighed. "Work, work, work," I told her brightly giving a cheesy false grin. "Tell me about it," she moaned.
"Well there was the staircase fall that wasn't a fall, the double murder, the suicide- oh and of course the old lady that swallowed a fly, then a cat and a horse and a house too."
"Yeah yeah, and then she died. We know…" she replied grinning. I grinned back glad we were falling back into our usual banter. "You sure you haven't swallowed a house too. Were getting a wee bit bigger round the middle there…" I held my breath; worried I'd gone too far.
"You're one to talk Dr. Cunningham, looking a bit- fluffier than usual."
"Fluffier?" I asked sceptically.
"Yeah, fluffier," she replied defensively. "You have just polished off a stack of six pancakes." I looked down at my empty plate then at hers which was still full; only half the second pancake eaten. "Oh," I said. "Yeah, oh." She sauntered off to her bedroom.
"Where you going?" I called after her.
"To get changed," she shouted back.
"What about your pancakes?"
"I'm sure you'll polish them off." I heard the grin in her voice.
"Don't mind if I do," I said to no one in particular whilst helping myself.
She came out forty-five minutes frowning. Having already eaten her leftover pancakes and the ones in the pan too I had laid myself over the sofa, feet overlapping the end and head hanging down over the arm of it with my hands over my stomach. She stopped short and grinned as she saw me. "Bit full?" she asked sardonically.
"Bit," I answered grinning back in humorous self-pity. "What were you frowning about?"
"Can't find my concealer."
I rolled my eyes. "Isn't the point on concealer to conceal spots? And you don't have any," I finished smiling.
"Well yeah, but it makes me feel more confident."
"Don't need it don't use it- that's my motto."
"Does that apply to everything?" she smirked.
"Of course," I replied catching the teasing tone to her voice. "I still don't see why you need it. The point in makeup is to look like you have the perfections that makeup gives without people knowing you're wearing it. You shouldn't plaster it on to show people you're wearing makeup because it doesn't make you more grown up and if its not needed, like in your case, then don't wear it." I finished my little speech exasperatedly.
"You done?" she asked raising an eyebrow.
'Uh oh- wrong person to rant to' I thought.
"Yes?" I asked, hoping I wasn't going to get lectured to.
"For your informa…" she stopped blank. "Did you just say my face was perfect?" she asked.
'Damn… What do I say now?'
"Well yes," I walked up to her and pretended to scrutinise her face. I trailed a finger over a cheekbone watching her eyes flicker losing concentration then snap back to stare defiantly into my eyes again. Determined not to get lost in the melted chocolate pools I ran the finger onto her nose and flicked it. "But I suppose things could always be improved."
Her smooth brow creased and she glared at me. "I am gonna get you," she almost growled. I laughed turning to call, "I know," behind me as I ran away. Fast.
I ran all the way down the flights of stairs and into the car where I sat waiting for her revenge for another twenty minutes.
Finally she came out; wearing an entirely different outfit than before and brandishing a stick of concealer. "I found it," she grinned triumphantly as she seated herself into the passenger side daintily. "Never," I replied shaking my head. "Why have you changed your outfit? The first one was perfectly fine you know."
"Thank you for that insight of wisdom there Dr. Cunningham," she responded sarcastically. "And for your information I have only changed my jeans, put on a jacket and shoes and finished my makeup."
Rolling my eyes for what seemed like the hundredth time that morning I said, "Only?"
"Yeah, the makeup took the most time."
Sensing the opportunity for a good tease I said innocently, "Are you sure you put the makeup on your face only it seems just as bad as before."
As planned this got her frustrated, Nikki style- she threw up her hands and screeched, "You said I didn't need makeup and now you're saying I should put more on. What is wrong with you?"
"Nothing, I just changed my mind." I grinned sweetly at her and she frowned back saying, her voice dangerously low, "Lets just get to work before Leo has another body to cut up."
"Yes dear."
"GRRRRRRR!"
Later that morning at 'Harry's desk'
"You're sitting at my desk again," I said looking down at the petite blonde perched on my chair at my desk doing my paperwork. But maybe the last one isn't so bad.
"Mmm," she mumbled without looking up.
Wandering back to her desk, I looked at the stack of paperwork on it and wandered back to past my desk towards the 'kitchen' nudging Nikki's chair with my foot as I went past. "What?" she said exasperatedly. Carrying on into the kitchen I shouted "Coffee?" behind me.
"Milk and-"
"One sugar," I finished for her looking back over my shoulder at her. The ghost of a smile appeared on her lips and I grinned in response. "Coffee coming up…"