Caught in the Undertow

Breakdown

A couple of days later with Nikki settled back into home life and showing a slight improvement in her condition, on the other hand, the global pandemic is worsening and the death rates are climbing after the prime minster announcement of a national lockdown Jack has decided to take furlough as he is worried about passing Coronavirus onto Nikki if he was to contract it at work, due to Nikki currently having a compromised immune system.
Jack's first day on furlough had been less eventful than he had expected but he is looking forward to helping Nikki back to her normal self and hopefully make her more independent.

Jack walks into the kitchen having just been upstairs making Nikki's bed and sorting out her laundry, he comes into the kitchen to see Nikki stood with her head resting against the refrigerator door. At first, Jack was concerned she has a blinding migraine that she gets every so often which usually causes her to pass out or throw up he walks over to Nikki's side and places his hand on her back, and smiles. "Hey, migraine?" He asks softly.

Nikki shakes her head and pushes away from the refrigerator door and looks at it, Jack raises an eyebrow unsure of what she is even doing "What are you doing Nikki?" Jack quizzes.
"The door won't open," She responds and begins to pull at the refrigerator door once again.

Jack watches her tug at the door for a while and smirks to himself, biting the back of his hand he tries to think of something else that wouldn't make him laugh at Nikki. "Nik, Darlin'... that's the wrong side, it opens the other side!" Jack smiles placing his hand on her lower back once again.

"No, it's not, It was always on this side I promise!" Nikki grunts and frantically continues to pull at the refrigerator door. Jack steps forwards and places his hand on the handle to the refrigerator ready to open the door, "No!" Nikki hisses batting his hands away from the door.

"Nikki come on stop it, look it opens this way," Jack speaks placing his hand on the long handle down the side of the refrigerator door and easily pulls the door open.
Nikki turns and looks at him her brows furrow and she glares at him, "You... You changed it!" She snaps and without even thinking she slaps Jack.

Jack grabs her wrists to stop her, "Hey calm down... come on Nikki. Have you taken your medication today? or even eaten for that matter," Jack smiles loosening her wrists.

She nods and watches Jack open the refrigerator once again, pulling out the things he will need to make Nikki some toast. "I can do that!" Nikki responds taking the tub of butter from him and walking towards the chopping board where she puts down the tub and stares blankly at the chopping board.
Just by the look on her face, she had forgotten what she was doing with the tub of butter. "You know what to do right?" Jack asks and steps forwards towards her.
"Fuck off Jack!" Nikki shouts throwing the butter knife she has found in his direction, Jack dives out the way and looks down at the knife as it clatters to the floor.

He wasn't warned about the behaviour side after a head injury like Nikki's but he recalls it being mentioned before by the police who had attended the Lyell regarding a crime scene a few years back. "Nikki calm down," Jack breathes in a calm tone but as he goes to step forward she throws the tub of butter at him this time he catches it and places it on the countertop before walking over to her and pulling her into a tight embrace, "It's okay, I've got you" He soothes as she collapses into his arms crying with frustration.

Jack guides her down to the floor and sits with her on the floor letting her cry out, "I know Nikki, we're going to make this right okay? I promise you... because I love you" He mutters against her head but Nikki ignores him. He kisses her head and strokes her arm soothing her muttering against her head reminding her that he won't leave her even when she throws knives and butter at him.