FIC: White Whale 2/?
White Whale 2/?
Authors: pprbckwrtr & docwho2100
Rating: R
Disclaimer: Nikki & Nora are the property of Nancylee Myatt and Warner Bros. Television. No infringement intended.
A/N: Sequel to Lex Talionis.
Chapter 2
The ride back to the station was quiet and Nora wisely kept it that way, just thankful that Nikki actually let her into the car. When they reached their destination, they remained silent as they headed directly to Dan's office, waiting for him to arrive from the crime scene. Nora had wanted to remain behind but she was smart enough to know when not to argue with her lieutenant.
They didn't have to wait too long before Dan stormed in and settled behind his desk. "Do you want to explain to me what the hell you were thinking?"
"We thought we should ensure the safety of Mrs. Montgomery." Nora managed to keep her surprise hidden, her outward expression neutral as Nikki spoke in her defense.
The blonde then nodded looking back to Dan. "Besides we knew the bomb squad was on the way."
"And if they hadn't gotten there in time? Or if you had done something wrong?" Dan didn't bother keeping the anger out of his voice.
"Didn't think you'd want to explain why the N.O.P.D. allowed one of the city's most deserving citizens to get blown up," Nora responded sarcastically.
"Don't you dare pull that shit. This has nothing to do with politics or the press."
"Everything is politi..."
"Lieutenant," Nikki began calmly, cutting smoothly across Nora's retort. "Why do we go through all the extra training if not to ensure public safety? Maybe we should have waited for the bomb squad but in the end it all worked out. We should just be thankful."
Dan stared at his detective as she spoke, trying to make sense of what he was hearing. He knew Nikki was angry, even if she had not voiced her disaproval, he'd felt it as they stood together at the harbor. He had hoped he would have an ally in kicking Nora's ass back to normal, but he knew that a cop's first loyalty was to his, or her, partner. "Fine," he relented. He wanted to rail at Nora a little more but decided to just get on with the case. "Mrs. Montgomery was taken to the hospital to be checked out but she seemed fine. The bomb squad dismantled the explosives and sent them to the lab for analysis, hopefully we can trace the pieces. And speaking of pieces, Mrs. Montgomery had a chess piece in her pocket, she says the bomber gave it to her."
"A chess piece?" Nikki asked.
"The King," Dan confirmed.
"Did he say why?"
"Something about it being the most important piece."
"Bastard forgot that the queen actually has the power." Nora crossed her arms defensively when two sets of eyes turned her way. "What? I can't play chess?"
Dan fought a smile, he wasn't ready to forgive quite yet. "Both of you go home. You can come back in the morning."
"Come on Dan," Nora started to protest.
"Lieutenant, shouldn't I," Nikki put extra emphasis on the singular pronoun, "question Mrs. Montgomery?"
"You two are the only ones who fight having a day off," Dan shook his head. "I'm sending Santiago and Arcadian to the hospital."
"Well what about the chess piece?" Nikki tried again. "That seems strange. I could..."
"I agree, it is strange, and that's why I have Georgia going through the database." Dan folded his hands and rested his elbows on the desk. "You two aren't needed until tomorrow. And don't rush in, actually wait till after lunch."
"Fine Lieutenant," Nikki agreed as she stood and left the office.
Nora sat for another second, wanting to argue but when she realized that Nikki wasn't really fighting on her behalf, anyway, she figured she should just go home. She had the sinking feeling that she was going to have a fight there too. The blonde stood up slowly and gave Dan a small nod, "see you tomorrow." Nora approached Nikki just as she was slipping into her jacket. "Thanks for backing me up in there," she said quietly, watching Nikki closely to judge just how much trouble she was in.
"Don't thank me yet," Nikki responded as she brushed past her partner.
Oh yeah, she was in A LOT of trouble.
****
After a second silent drive Nora followed Nikki into their home, the apology ready on her lips. She knew she had acted without thinking and that her rash actions had scared her partner, unfortunately what came out wasn't her well rehearsed words. "I'm sorry for doing my job."
Nikki blinked at the harshness of the words. "For doing your job?"
"What do you want from me? Did the bomb squad get there on time? Yes. And if they hadn't? I had to do something."
"If they hadn't you'd be dead."
"That's the job Nikki. You know that."
"What I know," Nikki returned heatedly. She ran her hands through her hair to reign in her emotions. Nikki always believed that they had the perfect relationship, as perfect as any could be anyway. They could always shut out the world and come together to rejuvenate each other to rebuild whatever damage the job or others may have inflicted. But this time Nora wasn't coming to her for support and the harder Nikki seemed to hold on the harder her partner seemed to pull away. Nikki's heart ached as she realized that what Nora may need now was to be let go. "What's going on with you? With us?"
With the denial on the tip of her tongue Nora opted for the truth. "I don't know," she admitted with a defeated sigh.
"You survived," Nikki pointed out. "But you're going on like you're on borrowed time. In the hospital..."
"Don't," Nora cut off the statement. Her brush with death was proving harder to deal with than she would have anticipated and it was the last thing she wanted to talk about now.
Nikki cursed herself, she hadn't intended to bring up the hospital even though she knew they couldn't move forward without acknowledging where they'd been. "Why don't we go away somewhere?"
"Now? What about the Montgomery case?"
"There's always a case Nora. We haven't had any time together in months."
Nora frowned at the statement. "We're always together."
~Maybe that's the problem~ Nikki thought sadly. "Not without something between us," she answered. "You're always volunteering us for every detail that comes up."
"It's the ..."
Nikki held up her hand to silence the tired mantra she'd been hearing the last three months. "I know it's the job, it's always the job, but I need time away once in a while." Nikki let her words sink in as she decided the best way to approach her next statement. "My father is away for a few weeks and he has given his staff the time off."
Nora felt a knot form in her stomach. A part of her realized that this is what she'd been doing the last three months, pushing Nikki away and now that it may actually happen... "I'm sorry," she rushed out in a panic. She stepped forward hesitantly, "I love you and I don't know why it's been so hard to show that lately, but I do know that I can't do this without you."
Nikki stepped forward and pulled the blonde into a protective embrace and held on for dear life.
Authors: pprbckwrtr & docwho2100
Rating: R
Disclaimer: Nikki & Nora are the property of Nancylee Myatt and Warner Bros. Television. No infringement intended.
A/N: Sequel to Lex Talionis.
Chapter 2
The ride back to the station was quiet and Nora wisely kept it that way, just thankful that Nikki actually let her into the car. When they reached their destination, they remained silent as they headed directly to Dan's office, waiting for him to arrive from the crime scene. Nora had wanted to remain behind but she was smart enough to know when not to argue with her lieutenant.
They didn't have to wait too long before Dan stormed in and settled behind his desk. "Do you want to explain to me what the hell you were thinking?"
"We thought we should ensure the safety of Mrs. Montgomery." Nora managed to keep her surprise hidden, her outward expression neutral as Nikki spoke in her defense.
The blonde then nodded looking back to Dan. "Besides we knew the bomb squad was on the way."
"And if they hadn't gotten there in time? Or if you had done something wrong?" Dan didn't bother keeping the anger out of his voice.
"Didn't think you'd want to explain why the N.O.P.D. allowed one of the city's most deserving citizens to get blown up," Nora responded sarcastically.
"Don't you dare pull that shit. This has nothing to do with politics or the press."
"Everything is politi..."
"Lieutenant," Nikki began calmly, cutting smoothly across Nora's retort. "Why do we go through all the extra training if not to ensure public safety? Maybe we should have waited for the bomb squad but in the end it all worked out. We should just be thankful."
Dan stared at his detective as she spoke, trying to make sense of what he was hearing. He knew Nikki was angry, even if she had not voiced her disaproval, he'd felt it as they stood together at the harbor. He had hoped he would have an ally in kicking Nora's ass back to normal, but he knew that a cop's first loyalty was to his, or her, partner. "Fine," he relented. He wanted to rail at Nora a little more but decided to just get on with the case. "Mrs. Montgomery was taken to the hospital to be checked out but she seemed fine. The bomb squad dismantled the explosives and sent them to the lab for analysis, hopefully we can trace the pieces. And speaking of pieces, Mrs. Montgomery had a chess piece in her pocket, she says the bomber gave it to her."
"A chess piece?" Nikki asked.
"The King," Dan confirmed.
"Did he say why?"
"Something about it being the most important piece."
"Bastard forgot that the queen actually has the power." Nora crossed her arms defensively when two sets of eyes turned her way. "What? I can't play chess?"
Dan fought a smile, he wasn't ready to forgive quite yet. "Both of you go home. You can come back in the morning."
"Come on Dan," Nora started to protest.
"Lieutenant, shouldn't I," Nikki put extra emphasis on the singular pronoun, "question Mrs. Montgomery?"
"You two are the only ones who fight having a day off," Dan shook his head. "I'm sending Santiago and Arcadian to the hospital."
"Well what about the chess piece?" Nikki tried again. "That seems strange. I could..."
"I agree, it is strange, and that's why I have Georgia going through the database." Dan folded his hands and rested his elbows on the desk. "You two aren't needed until tomorrow. And don't rush in, actually wait till after lunch."
"Fine Lieutenant," Nikki agreed as she stood and left the office.
Nora sat for another second, wanting to argue but when she realized that Nikki wasn't really fighting on her behalf, anyway, she figured she should just go home. She had the sinking feeling that she was going to have a fight there too. The blonde stood up slowly and gave Dan a small nod, "see you tomorrow." Nora approached Nikki just as she was slipping into her jacket. "Thanks for backing me up in there," she said quietly, watching Nikki closely to judge just how much trouble she was in.
"Don't thank me yet," Nikki responded as she brushed past her partner.
Oh yeah, she was in A LOT of trouble.
****
After a second silent drive Nora followed Nikki into their home, the apology ready on her lips. She knew she had acted without thinking and that her rash actions had scared her partner, unfortunately what came out wasn't her well rehearsed words. "I'm sorry for doing my job."
Nikki blinked at the harshness of the words. "For doing your job?"
"What do you want from me? Did the bomb squad get there on time? Yes. And if they hadn't? I had to do something."
"If they hadn't you'd be dead."
"That's the job Nikki. You know that."
"What I know," Nikki returned heatedly. She ran her hands through her hair to reign in her emotions. Nikki always believed that they had the perfect relationship, as perfect as any could be anyway. They could always shut out the world and come together to rejuvenate each other to rebuild whatever damage the job or others may have inflicted. But this time Nora wasn't coming to her for support and the harder Nikki seemed to hold on the harder her partner seemed to pull away. Nikki's heart ached as she realized that what Nora may need now was to be let go. "What's going on with you? With us?"
With the denial on the tip of her tongue Nora opted for the truth. "I don't know," she admitted with a defeated sigh.
"You survived," Nikki pointed out. "But you're going on like you're on borrowed time. In the hospital..."
"Don't," Nora cut off the statement. Her brush with death was proving harder to deal with than she would have anticipated and it was the last thing she wanted to talk about now.
Nikki cursed herself, she hadn't intended to bring up the hospital even though she knew they couldn't move forward without acknowledging where they'd been. "Why don't we go away somewhere?"
"Now? What about the Montgomery case?"
"There's always a case Nora. We haven't had any time together in months."
Nora frowned at the statement. "We're always together."
~Maybe that's the problem~ Nikki thought sadly. "Not without something between us," she answered. "You're always volunteering us for every detail that comes up."
"It's the ..."
Nikki held up her hand to silence the tired mantra she'd been hearing the last three months. "I know it's the job, it's always the job, but I need time away once in a while." Nikki let her words sink in as she decided the best way to approach her next statement. "My father is away for a few weeks and he has given his staff the time off."
Nora felt a knot form in her stomach. A part of her realized that this is what she'd been doing the last three months, pushing Nikki away and now that it may actually happen... "I'm sorry," she rushed out in a panic. She stepped forward hesitantly, "I love you and I don't know why it's been so hard to show that lately, but I do know that I can't do this without you."
Nikki stepped forward and pulled the blonde into a protective embrace and held on for dear life.