Silent Witness fic
Title: Grieving
Rating: High T.
Summary: Alternative scenes in "Bloodlines" so they correspond with my Nial!AU. Won't post a summary because of spoilers. Read it!
Notes: SPOILERS FOR "BLOODLINES" DON'T READ IT IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE AMAZING EPISODE!
Disclaimer: Don't own. If I did, this would have happened.
“Leo” Nikki sobbed out his name as she turned from the foreign detective that she was about to punch and saw the older man walking across the hall towards her. She practically ran towards him and Leo instantly cradled her in his arms as she buried her face in his neck and sobbed loudly, clinging to him as though her life depended on it.
“Ssh” Leo whispered, stroking her hair and kissing the side of her head gently, forcing back his own tears “It’s going to be alright I promise”
He looked up and glared at the detective who had started to walk towards them and tightened his grip on the sobbing woman in his arms, running one hand through his hair. The detective stopped walking, sensing that it wouldn’t be in his best interests to cross the older man at that time and backed off, glaring back at Leo before turning on his heel and walking away from the two distraught people.
“Come on, let’s get you to the hotel” Leo told Nikki who just shook her head, tears falling down her cheeks “Nikki”
“He’s..he’s...my...”
“Calm down sweetheart, it’s not good for the baby” Leo murmured and glanced down at Nikki’s six month pregnant stomach, the younger woman placing one hand on it and letting out another sob.
“I don’t...” Nikki shook her head again and Leo took her hand in his, taking her bag from her and then leading her towards the other bag that she had dropped.
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“I need to phone Nial” Nikki murmured as she sat curled up on the chair in the hotel room that Leo was staying in. “He can’t hear about it on the news”
“Do you want me to do it?”
“No” Nikki shook her head, turning away as more tears slipped down her face which she wiped furiously away. “No he..I...I need....” more tears fell down her cheeks and she let out a loud sob as Leo walked over and wrapped his arms around her, leaning down and pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “He’s gone..Leo..what am I going...to...do?”
“You’re going to grieve and you’re going to..” Leo cleared his throat as Nikki continued to grip at him and cry “You’re going to raise that baby that you and Harry created together”
“I can’t..not..without...Harry” Nikki sobbed “I..can’t...Leo”
“Yes you can because you’re brilliant and you’re strong and..you will be a brilliant mummy” Leo told her as he rocked her like a child, Nikki gripping at him and shaking her head “Now you need to calm down because you’re going to hurt yourself”
“Don’t care” Nikki whispered, her voice monotonous and broken as she trembled, staring at the wall next to them. “Don’t...care..I want...my...Harry...back”
“You’ll have him in the baby” Leo murmured, stroking Nikki’s hair away from her damp face “Yours and Harry’s baby”
“I need him with...me”
Leo didn’t say anything and a few minutes later when he looked down at the distraught woman he saw that she had her eyes closed. He moved slightly and when Nikki didn’t open her eyes he knew that she was asleep. He turned slightly when Nikki’s phone went off and he then looked back at the young woman in his arms, moving slightly and shifting Nikki into his arms, picking up the surprisingly light woman for someone of her stage of pregnancy and carrying her over to the bed. Leo placed her gently on the bed and covered her with the duvet, moving her blonde hair away from her wet face and stroking her cheek gently before moving away to go and check her phone, forcing down his own anger and grief as he knew he had to be strong for Nikki now.
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“Leo why are the curtains closed?”
Leo jumped when he heard Nikki’s quiet voice and he turned away from where he had been staring at Nikki’s phone and looked up at the young woman who was looking at him, her eyes devoid of any sort of light or happiness that was normally in them.
“I thought you might sleep better with them closed” Leo lied, not wanting to tell the pregnant woman that they were being watched, it wouldn’t do her any good to get stressed.
“Liar”
“How are you?” Leo asked, ignoring Nikki’s statement as he walked over and crouched next to the bed, Nikki shrugging and sighing quietly.
“I thought it was a nightmare. How long have I been asleep?”
“Two hours”
“Was it real?”
“Yes” Leo sighed and Nikki bit her lip, turning her face into the pillow slightly and closing her eyes. Leo reached up and covered her exposed hand with his own, squeezing it gently as Nikki moved hers so he could hold it properly, stroking her skin gently. “How is the baby?” he asked, trying to keep Nikki’s mind away from Harry and on her baby.
“Lively” Nikki smiled, Leo seeing the movement of her other hand moving to her stomach under the duvet. “He’s been settling down lately though” she continued “Harry says...” she trailed off and closed her eyes, her smile fading instantly as she let out a quiet sob. “He won’t get..to know if...we’re having the little girl..that he...wants”
Leo didn’t say anything, he just reached over and stroked her hair away from her face and glanced over at her mobile that he had left on his chair.
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Nikki frowned as she wandered into the memorial that Leo had told her to meet him at, wondering why he wanted to meet her here. She placed her hand on her stomach as the baby moved and she couldn’t bring herself to smile like the movement normally made her do, she was still numb from the loss of her husband and she just wanted to crawl into bed and ignore everything and everyone. However another part of her wanted to find out who had murdered Harry and she had to bite back a sob when she thought about how he had died. Tears smarted her eyes but she pushed them away, looking around for Leo before walking up the stairs towards a large building at the top, her heart jumping when she saw him walking out of a doorway. He opened his mouth to say something but Nikki’s eyes were trained behind him. Leo looked behind him as Nikki shook her head, taking in a sharp breath as she turned around and went to make her way down the stairs again, her throat having closed up. The next thing she felt was one arm around her neck and one around her waist, pulling her back into a warm body, warm breath found her cheek as she began to sob, tears falling down her cheeks as she turned slightly and finally saw the man who she never thought that she would see again. Tears were on Harry’s cheeks as well and no words were exchanged as Nikki shook her head, reaching up and placing her trembling hands on his cheeks, feeling his slight stubble on her palms. Harry wrapped one arm around her back and rested his forehead on hers, his other hand placed on the side of her stomach as Nikki let out a low breath, closing her eyes and allowing her husband to nuzzle her nose gently with his before doing the same to her cheek, kissing her warm skin gently, neither of them rushing their moves despite everything that had been going on. Harry finally pressed his lips to hers and Nikki responded instantly, kissing him back and moving one hand to his shoulder, letting out a sob as they kissed softly, neither feeling the need to deepen the kiss.
“You’re here” Nikki whispered after a short time kissing softly and Harry nodded. “You were..”
“I’m here my darling” Harry nodded, nuzzling her nose again and making Nikki smile properly for the first time since she had been told that her husband had been dead.
“How?”
“That can wait” Harry murmured back just as quietly, stroking her bump gently as he spoke, a smile gracing his face before being wiped away as Nikki’s hand connected to his cheek, the slapping noise practically echoing around the memorial.
“You selfish bastard” Nikki sobbed, tears slipping down her face as she gripped at Harry and buried her face in his neck, her husband wrapping his arms around her and pressing his face into her hair “You..bastard..don’t ever..do..that...to us...again”
“I have no intention to” Harry replied, stroking her back as he kissed her cheek and held her tightly against him, neither wanting to let go ever again.