Halcyon

Take me Home

"...Come on Poppy, time to go to the Nursery" Jack says as he walks through from the kitchen with Poppy's bag and coat ready for nursery. Poppy looks up at her father from her toys before looking back at her dolls and continuing to play with them. "Come on Pops, now!" He says warning her, Poppy sighs dramatically and puts her toys down.

"Why? I want Mummy!" Poppy says stamping her feet at Jack. "I want Mummy, I want Mummy, I want Mummy!" she shouts at Jack who ignores her and walks into the hallway and grabs Poppy shoes before walking back into her and lifting her up against her will and sits her on his lap and puts her shoes on, she starts to kick her legs and screams at Jack, "I want Mummy!" She screams and smacks him.

Jack grabs her hand as she goes to do it again, "Don't Poppy! I'm warning you!" Jack says in a stern tone.
He manages to get her shoes on her and stands her up and slips her coat onto her before zipping it up, Poppy once again throws herself to the floor and begins to scream and kick her legs, "You're doing yourself no favors... stop it! get up and stop throwing your weight around!" Jack says in a raised tone, He sighs when Poppy shows no sign of stopping and lifts her up and carries her to the car.

He secures Poppy into her car seat and shuts the door, Jack quickly goes back into the house and grabs his work bag and Poppy's nursery bag before setting the house alarm and stepping out the house, he then locks the front door and gets into the car.

Jack gets to Poppy's nursery with not much time to spare, he walks her in and hangs her stuff up on a coat peg, before crouching down to Poppy's height and pulling her into a hug. "Right be good darling, I shall see you later..." She is then cut off by Poppy.

"With Mummy?" She asks.
"I'm not sure sweetie, the doctor said Mummy needs lots of rest in the hospital" He replies stroking her cheek.
"Mummy is a doctor," She says innocently.
"But not a Doctor like that, remember?" He smiles and Poppy nods, "Look Pops, I've got to go to work, but I shall tell Mummy how much you love her yeah?" Jack asks and Poppy nods before walking off to join her friends.

Jack leaves the nursery and heads to work for a busy day. Jack arrives at the Lyell and heads straight in, "Good morning Jack, how is the Hodgson-Alexander family this morning?" Clarissa smiles cheerfully.

"All is good, Nikki and the baby are on the mend... Poppy... well Poppy is throwing tantrums left, right and center... I'm good... how are things for you?" Jack smiles and sits himself down at his desk and logs onto the Lyell Centre database ready to continue some work from the previous day.

"Poor mite misses, Nikki," Clarissa smiles
"Yes I do, she would know what to do with Poppy acting up like this" Jack sighs.
"You know what I meant Hodgson... It's such a shame she's not allowed on the ward" Clarissa replies.

Jack smiles with a sigh before carrying on with his work from the previous day. The day goes fairly quick for Jack as he has to attend another crime scene with Thomas before clocking off for the day and heading to the hospital.

He walks onto the ward to see Nikki sat on the bed, no cannula, no IV, no foley catheter looking really well, he smiles as he walks over to her, "Nik, you look bright-eyed and bushy-tailed this morning" Jack smiles cheerfully as he walks up to her and hugs her tightly.

"I have good news" She smiles biting her lip in anticipation.
"Okay? Shoot" He smiles as he sits in the armchair.
"We've been given the all-clear, they're happy with the baby and the hole in the ventricular is almost completely repaired, they said it should close up when the baby takes its first breath and the hole in the atrial has closed completely, they're going to keep an eye on me when I'm due and in labour but they said the baby should like a full and healthy life" Nikki beams.

A smile appears on Jack's face as he takes in what Nikki has just told him, "So? when are they discharging you?" He questions.
Nikki looks at him and sighs, "Not until the baby is born, they really do want to keep an eye on me" Nikki sighs as she watches Jack's face turn to a frown.

"What they can't do that!" He panics.
She bites her lip before she starts to smirk, "Oh Jack I'm pulling your dick, they're discharging me as soon as the doctor comes on the ward rounds" Nikki smiles and Jack perks up slightly and Jack smacks her leg playfully.

"You're horrible you know that Nicola Alexander" Jack smirks and stands up, he pulls her up and cuddles her closely, "One day I'm going to be calling you Nicola Hodgson" He mumbles against her ear making her get goosebumps.

"I can't wait for that day either, although to save confusion I am going to keep Alexander professionally for work" Nikki smiles as she cuddles him tightly as she can with her bump in the way.

Jack smiles and continues to cuddle her, within ten minutes the Doctor arrives on the ward and goes straight to Nikki and signs her discharge forms allowing her to go straight home. Later on that day Nikki has gone home and is now resting and awaiting her daughters return from the nursery, Jack soon comes home with Poppy who isn't aware that Nikki is home. She takes her shoes off and removes her coat before waiting for Jack, she then walks straight into the lounge and straight over to the toys unaware Nikki is sat on the sofa behind her.

"Hello baby girl, Nikki says, Poppy's head spins right the way over her shoulder as she hears a familiar voice, she jumps to her feet and rushes straight over to Nikki.
"Mummy!" She beams and runs to her and jumps on the sofa before cuddling her tightly.