Can't Wait

Pieces

Nikki was still in bed up until lunchtime, going over and over Matt's rape case in her mind, then intermittently thinking about Jack. Her sickness appeared to have passed overnight, relieved, she sat up and took a few small sips of water. She swung her legs out of bed and made her way to the en-suite to brush her teeth. Getting there she looked for her toothbrush and quickly realised she'd left all her toiletries at Jack's house. She'd not realised the night before as she had just crawled straight into bed after finally moving from the sofa in the early hours of the morning. As she took out a new brush from the cupboard, her phone buzzed, she looked at it and saw the message was from Jack, her heart leapt.

Opening it quickly, she read the contents, it was about his father. The hospital were being very thorough in their investigation into Connor's potential heart condition. She was relieved that he was getting the care he needed, for his sake as well as Jack's. She knew he would be devastated if anything happened to him. She was disappointed but not surprised that there was nothing else in the message, nothing about her, about them.

She looked in the mirror and decided to make a call. "Hi, is that Emma? I'm wondering if you could squeeze me in for a cut and colour? I'm wanting to try something different..."

She sighed, a change of hair would help her demarcate the next chapter of her life, whatever that might look like. Jumping into the shower, she considered her career options. There was the role at Amy's place that she had already applied for, and now this potential role with the UN, which might be the role for her regardless of what happened at The Lyell.

As she washed the suds from her hair, her mind flicked to Jack, holding her right where she was now stood, stroking her back, kissing her forehead, her cheeks, her lips. Her fingers rose to touch her mouth, remembering how gentle he was, how loving. As much as she tried to push out the thoughts of him, he invaded every part of her senses. She felt tears bubbling up and her throat tighten, as she tried to hold back sobs. Had she made a terrible decision? He might not have believed her straight away, but he did eventually. With the police essentially telling him she was a liar, and all the science pointing in her direction, could she really blame him?

She let the hot tears spring from her eyes, believing that it might just be cathartic to get it all out. She remembered him opening her window before bed without her having to ask, after telling him about her nightmares since Mexico. How he ran his thumb over her lower lip before pulling her in for a kiss. The blue roses he had bought her. The notes he left in her bag and drawer at his house. How he had told her he loved her, and always had. Nikki sighed, maybe he just loved the idea of her, this immaculate version of her that he saw, that no-one else did.

As she dried off and got ready, Nikki put back on the imaginary armour she wore in her mind. She needed to let the idea of Jack go. Move on. Grabbing her keys and purse she left to go and get her hair done, she decided against any breakfast, not wanting to set off her sickness again.

**********************************************

Jack stayed seated in Thomas' office behind the desk as Adam showed Matt in, and shut the door. He eyeballed him, not speaking, as Matt prowled into the room and remained stood up, holding onto the back of the chair the other side of the desk. Jack knew that was a power move, he smirked at how pathetic he was being.

Matt flashed a broad smile at Jack, "So! Adam there tells me Nikki is off this week... You not joining her on vacation...?" He drawled.

"It's hardly a holiday for her, Matt..." Jack said through a grimace.

"Hmmm... You look like shit, no offence... worse than me, and I'm the one here wrongfully accused..." Matt smirked at him again. "Trouble in paradise?"

He chuckled, "Not at all, and none taken... What are you doing here?" Jack looked up at him, maintaining eye contact, speaking slowly to try and control his tempter.