Halcyon

Emotion Running High

Nikki sits at her desk filling out post-mortem reports from the hit and run from the other week. Jack, on the other hand, has gone out with Thomas to a crime scene. While Nikki works she feels someone watching her and looks up to see Clarissa watching her with a smirk on her face, "Can I help you?" Nikki says clearing her throat.

"Oh, nope... it's nothing" Clarissa replies as she looks down at her work again.
Nikki rolls her eyes and looks back down at her work, "So, Nikki... what was Jack doing earlier in the staffroom?" Clarissa questions her colleague.

Nikki looks at her completely shocked, "Nothing!" She laughs awkwardly.
Clarissa raises an eyebrow and looks at Nikki knowing exactly what she heard and saw but doesn't want to say anything until Nikki confirms it even though Jack has already accidentally told her about the pregnancy.

"Nikki, do you really think I am that stupid?" Clarissa replies, Nikki looks at her awkwardly.
"Okay, I didn't really want to announce it this early" Nikki says while messing with her pen.
"So?" Clarissa says prompting Nikki to continue.

"Yeah, I'm pregnant... 10 weeks" Nikki smiles.
"Oh Congratulations Nikki, another baby to the Hodgson clan... it is Jack's isn't it?" She asks just clarifying.

Nikki looks at her completely shocked that Clarissa would think that the baby is someone else's. "Of course it's Jack's" Nikki replies.

Clarissa smiles and nods before looking at her phone, "Are you assuming something?" Nikki questions almost spitting at Clarissa.
"Woah, Nikki, I didn't... mean for it to come across as that" Clarissa says trying to reason with Nikki who is getting herself slightly wound up.

"Well, it sure sounded like you meant to say I would sleep with another man" She huffs. Nikki slams her pen down on the desks and rests her head in her hands, "I really do give up honestly, can't you just be happy" Nikki says her voice breaking with emotion.

"I am happy for you" Clarissa replies looking at Nikki rather confused to her sudden mood change.
Nikki sniffles and continues to sit with her head in her hands, "Are you really? I'm not sure you are to be perfectly honest, first I have your best friends baby, then we live together so he hardly sees you, come on Clarissa you're bound to hate me!" Nikki replies looking up, her face rather flushed.

"I don't hate you, Nikki, you've got the wrong end of the stick! I was joking, I know how much you mean to Jack and he adores both you and your daughter... I'm happy for you honestly. Jack finally has something to talk about other than boxing" Clarissa smiles trying to bring Nikki around to believing her.

Clarissa leaves Nikki be and gets back to work, soon Jack arrives back at the Lyell with Thomas, Thomas heads straight to the cutting room to get a head start on his post-mortem, meanwhile, Jack heads back into the offices and straight away notices the tension.
"So what have I missed?" Jack says looking at Clarissa as Nikki won't even look up from her laptop.

"I shall leave you two to it" Clarissa smiles as she leaves the offices, Jack walks over to Nikki and rests against her desk and looks down at her but Nikki won't reply.

Jack removes her laptop from under her and places it the other side of him, "Come on what have I missed?" Jack asks.
Nikki shakes her head and starts to mess with her pen, "I flipped... at Clarissa" Nikki mumbles.

Jack raises an eyebrow as this is seriously unlike Nikki to shout or go off on one at members of staff. "Why?" Jack questions.

"I... well, she found out I am pregnant..." She begins.
"Right?" Jack says a little unsure where this is going.
"She jokingly asked if it was yours for sure... I didn't see the joke and just flipped" Nikki replies.
Jack smiles lovingly at her as he laughs slightly, "Oh Nik's what you like, hormones getting to you already?" Jack smirks.

Nikki rolls her eyes and smiles at him, Jack leans forward and kisses the top of her head gently before letting Nikki get back to work.