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Stephen looked out over the Home Office atrium and took a deep breath.
“Nick? We need to talk. In private.”
“Now? We’re kind of busy, Stephen.”
“It’s important. I’m sure you could do with a coffee.”
Nick rolled his eyes and headed down the stairs. “Come on then, you’re buying.”
By the time they were settled at a back table in a small café around the corner from the Home Office, Stephen was reconsidering whether the whole situation had been one of his better ideas. His gaze jerked away from his coffee mug when Nick prodded him with his foot.
“Well?” What’s so important that you dragged me away from the most significant scientific discovery of the century?”
Stephen inhaled shakily and fiddled with his mug. “It’s about Helen.”
“Out with it, man.”
“I guess there’s no easy way to say this. Before she disappeared, Helen and I were having an affair.”
Stephen glanced at Nick when he made a strangled noise in the back of his throat, as if he was trying not to yell in public. The other man was just staring at him in disbelief, face going red with rage.
“I probably should have told you ages ago, but she was dead, so there didn’t seem to be much point. You became my best friend. You mean more to me than anyone and I didn’t want to lose you so I stayed quiet.”
Stephen knew he was babbling now, so he took a sip of his lukewarm coffee. Nick was still staring at him in silence. And it was making him nervous. He’d expected shouting and possibly a punch or two. This silence wasn’t characteristic of the Nick he knew. Nick usually couldn’t control his anger.
Stephen took a deep breath and then ploughed on. “If she’s alive like we think, she obviously has a reason for showing up after eight years and I can’t help but think it’s not just because she missed us. She left me to die in that tunnel, for God’s sake. I thought you should know, just in case she wants to throw it at us whenever it might suit her. She always was good at manipulating things to work for her advantage.”
Nick jerked at that.
Stephen looked him in the eyes.
“You’re everything to me, Nick. I just hope I haven’t lost you. I’m so sorry.”
Nick nearly knocked over his chair as he stood up too fast. He stormed out of the café without a word, leaving Stephen slumped in his chair, head in hands.
Later, after the basement, after Nick nearly drowned, after Helen was taken into custody by Lester’s soldiers (can you arrest someone that doesn’t legally exist?) Stephen sat on the end of his bed and wondered if he had done the right thing. A knock at the door dragged him out of his contemplation.
“Nick.” Stephen froze in surprise.
“Can I?” Nick gestured at the apartment behind Stephen.
“Oh, of course.” Stephen ushered him inside and closed the door.
Both men stood awkwardly, not quite able to look each other in the eye.
Gathering his courage, Stephen tried to break the ice. “Are you okay? No side effects from nearly drowning.”
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
“Good. I thought I’d lost you for a minute there.” Stephen clasped his hands behind his back to try to hide the way they shook at the idea of losing Nick.
Nick stepped forward suddenly and grasped Stephen’s face between his hands. “You haven’t lost me.”
“Haven’t I?”
“No, you haven’t. Was I shocked? Yes. Am I angry? Yes. Am I hurt? Hell yes. But when you said I mean everything to you? I realized that it goes both ways. You mean everything to me. Talking to her today I realized the Helen I knew and married, died when she left me eight years ago. The woman Lester grabbed is someone else and I don’t trust her.”
Nick dropped his hands to rest on Stephen’s shoulders and shook him gently.
“I trust you with my life Stephen. What happened eight years ago is in the past. It might take me a while to deal with it, because it does hurt. But you and I are worth fighting for.”
Stephen swallowed against the lump of emotion in his throat as the sincerity in Nick’s eyes sank into his mind. Overwhelmed, he stepped forwards and threw his arms around Nick, holding on tight. After a moment of hesitation, Nick hugged him back, resting his cheek against Stephen’s hair.
“Thanks,” muttered Stephen, pulling back and running his hands through his hair.
“Enough of this mushy crap.” Nick grinned. “Have you got any beer?”
Laughing, Stephen headed to the fridge. They were going to be just fine.