Halcyon

Driving Home

Later on Jack, Nikki and Poppy have left the soft play and are heading home, Poppy is currently asleep in the back of the car snoring her head off. "See out like a light" Nikki smiles looking over her shoulder at Poppy.

"I've never seen that kid run around as she did, she definitely broke a sweat" Jack chuckles.
Nikki smiles and turns back in the passenger seat, "Clarissa and Max will be at ours in an hour, hopefully, Poppy doesn't sleep for long" She replies with a sigh.

Jack continues to drive and as they come to a stop at some traffic lights, Jack glances at Nikki who is stroking her bump, "What's up Nik?" Jack asks and momentarily places his hand on her knee.
"Just thinking about how grown up Poppy suddenly is, this morning I put her clothes out to get her dressed, went to the toilet and came back and she had dressed all by herself, I want my baby back" Nikki sighs as she strokes her bump in a repetitive motion.

He removes his hand from Nikki's knee as the traffic lights turn to green, "Really Nik? is that it?" He asks.

She rolls her eyes at him and shifts a little, "I'm just tired-" She begins but is cut off by Jack raising an eyebrow at her, "Okay, I shall come clean..." She smiles, Jack smirks to himself as he knows that look always makes her come clean, "See the thing is, the baby hasn't really moved since this morning, well since just before the party. I thought that the baby was just sleeping but obviously not" Nikki explains biting her lip.

"Probably a reasonable explanation for this, he is probably sleeping longer than expected... don't get worried" Jack smirks trying not to dawn on anything bad.
"Hey, who even said it's a boy, how dare you offend your daughter" Nikki giggles. Jack shakes his head and continues to drive them all home.

They arrive home ten minutes later and Jack gets out the car and opens the back door and looks at Poppy who is still fast asleep with her mouth wide open, "Do I wake her?" Jack questions his partner who is grabbings some bags from the boot of the car.

Nikki comes round and looks at Poppy, "Oh... Leave her wake her up in ten minutes... put her on the sofa" Nikki says before going back to the car boot and grabbing the bags she was about to collect.

Jack unclips Poppy from the child seat and removes the teddy bear from off her lap, he then carefully scoops her up into his arms trying not to wake her in the process. Jack rests her head against his shoulder and carries her safely into the house, Nikki turns off the house alarm and Jack takes Poppy straight into the lounge and lies her down on the sofa placing a throw over her to keep her warm.

He then heads straight back out to the car and helps Nikki take the bags into the house before locking the car and coming into the house, Jack kicks his shoes off and places them on the shoe rack before walking into the kitchen where Nikki is looking through the fridge.
"Raiding the fridge again?" Jack chuckles and Nikki then shut the fridge door with a pickle in her mouth and a jug of orange juice. "You should really lay off those pickles... they give you bag wind" He smirks and Nikki rolls her eyes.

"Oh piss off you fool" Nikki chuckles as she pours herself a glass of orange juice and begins to drink it.
She turns and looks out the window as she drinks her orange juice, she then feels Jack's warm hands snake around her body pulling her body close to him "What do you want?" she smiles as she inhales his comforting musky aftershave.

"Can't I just cuddle you without wanting something?" he smirks and kisses her neck.
"Yes you always want something, look what happened last time you wanted a cuddle" Nikki chuckles as she strokes her bump and feels a sudden strong kick.
"Did you feel that?" She adds with a smile.
"Hmm," He smiles and sways her side to side slightly. "Now, we better get ready, Max and Clarissa will be here shortly, Jack says as he snaps out of his little daydream.