Can't Wait

Clarissa

It was lunchtime and Jack had decided to eat his lunch in Thomas' old office, staring at the post-its on the wall, hoping that some inspiration or answers would come to him. He was shattered, not having slept well. The previous night, he had gone to bed after a couple of glasses of whisky and found Nikki had left her wash bag in his bathroom. It contained her perfume, which he took out, smelled, and placed in his bathroom cabinet, imagining that she was still there.

He had laid in bed, where he had held her in his arms the previous night, and that morning. The pillow still smelled of her perfume and it had preoccupied his mind the entire evening. He kept going over and over their arguments in his head. Why hadn't he just believed her from the get go? He knew he had messed up, and the only way to save any kind of relationship with her was to help prove her innocence, save her reputation, her career. So far though, he was drawing a blank.

Taking a bite of his cheese and ham sandwich, he picked up his phone and decided to message Nikki. Cathy at the hospital had given him a list of some of the procedures that his father had been booked in for over the next week. Regardless of what happened between them, he knew Nikki would appreciate being kept up to date with his progress, and she had agreed to keep up appearances, he hoped that still applied even after the previous days events.

He was tempted to follow up with a separate message, asking if they could talk, but decided against it. She was always so stubborn, and he knew that he needed to prove his commitment to her somehow. Fight for her. He just wasn't sure what to do. Where to start.

He picked up his phone and called Clarissa again, whilst waiting for her to answer he grabbed his pen and the stack of post-its. He heard a familiar voice in the end of the phone, "Jack! My goodness I'm popular with you and Nikki these days!" She smirked,

"Hey babes! You're always popular with us, even if everyone else can't stand you!" He chuckled, missing the banter he'd always had with his old friend.

"Pfft... you're just jealous... you know, I might change your name in my phone to 'do not answer' at this rate, Jack..." she said with a strong sarcastic undertone. "What can I do for you? Some of us have work to do..."

Jack spent the next few minutes catching Clarissa up with the progress of Matt's rape case and the impact it's had on Nikki, as well as their doomed relationship. He hated having to share this much personal detail with her, worrying how she might react. He knew she loved Nikki, and he had really let her down. She was silent for a moment, leading Jack to think the line had gone dead. He looked at the front of his phone, but the call was still connected. "Hello? Clarissa?"

"I'm here, Jack... I'm just trying to work out how to politely say that you are both a pair of complete idiots... You need your heads bashing together!" She sighed, at a complete loss as to how they've got to this point.

"I know, Clarissa! I know! Believe me, if I could go back in time I would have handled this all so differently... I have so, so many regrets! But right now, I need help to prove her innocence... Save her career... Only you can help me at this stage..." he pleaded.

"Of course I'll help you, Jack, you simpleton. I have actually been thinking about it a lot. Honestly, it's like I've never left the Lyell... me doing all the thinking, you just there for the eye candy and coffees..." she giggled. "Right... so... what have we got? Other than what you've told me already?" She urged.

"Well, that's just it... not a lot more. Just what I've told you already, about what I realised on Friday, that we should have expected to find my DNA too, if it had happened on that Saturday night... if Nikki and Matt had been intimate, after me and her... Jesus... this is too embarrassing..." he internally cringed.

"You're telling me! God Jack... it was bad enough hearing about your one night stands back at The Lyell... but when it's Nikki... Eugh!" She laughed.

"Errr, I've had to hear enough about you and Max over the years... sometimes on speakerphone in front of the police!" He laughed, feeling a bit brighter after just speaking with her.

Clarissa chuckled, "They loved it... Anyway... this is actually quite interesting... and not just because it proves Nikki's innocence to us... but we can start exploring how this DNA came about. Do we know who the woman is? You said Nikki had spoken to Matt... what did he say had happened?"

Jack recounted to her what Nikki had told him the previous day when they split up. "I just wish we didn't have to rely on his bloody say so... he might actually be a rapist... Although... I mean... I know he was awful to Nikki, but I never took him to be as bad as that... And Nikki says she didn't know the woman... I don't think that info has been shared by the police yet either..."

Clarissa considered what had been discussed so far. "Okay, Jack... Is there any possible way that this woman could have got hold of one of their condoms from Matt's residence? From before they had split up? From before you and her were a thing?"

Jack sat back in the chair and thought, "I mean, I guess it's always possible... but that makes this a completely different case from what we had thought it was... it makes it so much more... sinister.... And how could she get hold of something like that?" He rested his chin on his hand, leaning on the desk in front of him. "She was at Matt's that Saturday night... but him and Nikki hadn't been together for ages, and you know how the US embassy keep their properties, they are immaculate... I can't imagine a condom still being there for weeks, for this woman to just find it somehow..." Jack sounded exasperated.

"Well, it could be something quite sinister, Jack. We need to look at this from all angles... for Nikki... Has this woman ever been to Nikki's house?" She asked curiously. "No, you said she didn't know her... Not to mention I know she is a crazy neat freak too..." Clarissa sighed. "Let me think on it, Jack. I'll come back to you once I've thought of anything." She reassured him.

Jack sighed, grateful to have her help, "Thanks Clarissa. Say hi to Max from me." Hanging up the call, he sat against the back of his chair, tilting backwards, closed his eyes and retracing his steps through the embassy property that he had visited during Matt's abduction. It was impeccably clean, the maid service came once a day and rubbish was collected by a certified, private refuse service. There was no way a condom would be left around for someone to find. He sighed and looked up, just as Adam knocked on the door of the office and entered.

"Hi Jack, there's a man in reception from the US Embassy... he's gorgeous! Looks like a slightly younger George Cloony!" He grinned widely until he registered Jack's expression.

"Matt Garcia is here?" Jack said, stunned.

"Yes, I think that's what he said his name was... Oh my god! Isn't that Nikki's ex?! Shall I show him in? Or tell him she isn't here?" He asked.

Jack thought for a moment, "Erm, show him in here Adam, if you don't mind."

Adam scurried out to reception to show Matt through to the office. Jack could feel anger bubbling up from the pit of his stomach, but was conscious that he couldn't indicate to the rest of the team that something was going on. He had to play it cool, and see what information he could get from Matt that may help Nikki's case.