Chapter Seven

In Another Life

"Come home with me, now," he repeated in between kisses. "I promise I won't shut you out again, I won't not talk to you; if it scares you. I never want to scare you Nikki."

"It's alright Harry, it's who we are, it's what we do, the job will always be there but promise me we will always come first."

"I promise."

"Shall we go?"

She gripped tightly to his arm as they half stumbled, half ran down the street towards Nikki's car. There was no way of escaping it, the job they did made demands on them, unfair at times and too often all-consuming but now they had each other. It wasn't the jealous wife making room for the mistress nor was it some tawdry threesome. It was Harry and Nikki and they would have a life, a life together and still have successful careers. Three was a good number Nikki decided, the great Dr Havillard hadn't mentioned it, but her subconscious fished for a proverb she thought she knew.

"Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken."

But soon all other thoughts vanished as they reached her car and before she'd even had a chance to beep it open, Harry had squashed her against it, his body pressed against hers his desire pressing into her thigh and his lips searching for hers again.

He broke away suddenly.

"What's the matter?" Nikki asked.

Harry shook his head. "I was just thinking, what if you hadn't asked me?"

"Asked you what?" the warm fluid feeling that had been pooling at the base of her stomach, evaporated and prickled with fear instead.

"What would we have done?"

"What do you mean Harry? What are you worrying about?"

"If you hadn't asked me to join you at the party tonight. If I'd just been left there at the desk, watching you walk away from me?"

"What does it matter, we're here now. Together." Nikki added.

Harry shivered, he saw another life stretch before him; two colleagues united against the worst of man's inhumanity, their lives punctuated by distant intimacy, redemptive embraces and aching loneliness. He saw himself sitting alone on a sofa a decade into the future wondering why he had let his chance to be a father just pass him by. He could imagine them at another dreadful party, still together but miles apart. He saw their interdependency and commitment to their profession cripple their social lives and he felt the stab of the agony that their separations and disagreements caused them. They might be successful but as much as he despised Dr Havillard's pronouncements that was not having a life.

"I don't want that life," he muttered.

"Harry!" scoffed Nikki. "Shut up!"

"I want this one, with you, together, us…" he rambled.

"Shh, Harry."

"Just…. Just… just this. Just you," he said his voice still betraying the fear of his vision. "Thank you for getting me away from the Lyell, for asking me out tonight for…"

"It's nothing Harry, shut up about it. Ok?"

But the other life filled him with dread and he knew this was his only escape route, his one chance and after all the obfuscation of the week's events, finally he was able to see clearly again and he couldn't let it go.

"Thank you for inviting me, for putting up with me, for…"

"Harry?"

"Hmm?"

"Shut up!" Nikki laughed triumphantly, twined her fingers around his neck and kissed him.

"Are you done?" she asked moments later as she brushed her cheek against his, feeling the rough stubble of his chin against her cheek.

"Kissing you or freaking out?" Harry replied.

"I'm hoping the latter."

"I don't think I'll ever be done kissing you." Harry smiled.

"Good" she smiled. "Come on, let's get out of here. You ok to drive?" She held out the keys towards him.

"Just promise me one thing?" he asked.

"What?" Nikki asked a more serious note affecting her voice.

"You leave the boots on and alone in the car."

She looked up at him quizzically but his next words confirmed everything she had suspected earlier as she'd dressed in front of him.

"You don't touch the zip, you don't fiddle with them, the boots stay on your feet and on the floor," he commanded.

"Just in the car?" she pouted not failing to notice the slight tremor in his voice.

He held the door open for her. "Get in, quick!" he ordered.

She climbed into the passenger seat of her car, rested her head back and smiled. She was feeling slightly drunk, but it wasn't the one glass of wine from the party. It was more like the heady feeling of an important victory.

She thought back to the party, she'd not missed any of the 'friends' there. She'd not seen most of them since her quest for acceptance at the Lyell Centre began two years ago. She'd not even recognised many of them. She decided she didn't miss any of that old life she had given up.

Now she could finally cash in the two years of hard graft for another life. All that submissiveness had finally earned her a reward far greater and that was what had made her light headed. She had a great job and she loved it. She had a decent boss who looked out for her personally and professionally. And now she had Harry, and she really did have Harry.

She toyed with the idea of adjusting her boots but she could sense Harry's concentration even with her eyes closed; he was blocking out everything in order to drive them safely home as quickly as possible. He might be the one in the driving seat, he might pretend to be the dominant one but she was certain she was really the one at the controls; she smiled a broad smile and crossed her legs.

"I warned you," Harry growled and jerked the wheel to pull the car back into his lane. He studied the road intently and refused to let his gaze wander.

Nikki laughed, her deep throated, full bodied laugh. That other life was finally over. This, she thought would be the start of something good. She was successful and she had got herself a life and she thought with another smile it would be anything but 'normal.'

Sorry this last bit took so long to tweak. Be kind and tell me what you think. It was fun to consider a H&N relationship free from all the baggage of the later chapters but maybe you don't see them the same way. I'd love to know.

Thanks to tigpop, Kiwiswfan, yellowshiningstars, hushedgreylily and angst fan for their reviews and support. You make it all worthwhile.

"Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken." Is from the bible Ecclesiastes 4:12