DISCLAIMER: Nikki & Nora are the property of Nancylee Myatt and Warner Bros. Television. No infringement intended.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: A very special thanks to mrswoman for the beta.
ARCHIVING: Only with the permission of the author.
Elfin Ways
By Ann
Nikki sipped from her coffee mug and scanned the notice on the department's bulletin board, looking for their assignment. The thick liquid almost shot from her nose when her eyes settled on the names near the bottom of the list. There, in black and white, was their assignment for the annual Christmas party at the local orphanage. Nora was going to absolutely freak.
"Hey, what're you looking at?" Nora placed a folder on her desk and moved towards Nikki, who immediately spun around and stepped away from the wall.
"Huh? Oh nothing really, just browsing the latest wanted posters."
Nora stood on her tiptoes, trying to see over the taller woman's shoulder. "The wanted posters are on the right, you were looking dead center."
"My eyes must've strayed when I heard your voice." Nikki stood to her full height, completely blocking the bulletin board from Nora's view. Distracting Nora was next on the agenda. "Is that the Douglas file?"
Nora grinned. "We've got an eyewitness."
Nikki's smoke and mirror routine worked to perfection as Nora turned her full attention to the case. She snatched up the file, removed the witness' signed statement, and handed it over to Nikki.
"Ready to go arrest the bastard?" Nora reached for her jacket and slipped into the soft leather, patiently waiting for Nikki to do the same; however, barks of laughter drew her focus to the three detectives who stood in front of the bulletin board.
Nikki immediately swept into action, grabbing Nora by the hand and tugging her towards the door. "Let's get the asshole."
Nora allowed herself to be pulled from the room with only an occasional glance back at the laughing men.
The two women waited across the street from the suspect's building as the gusty wind swept around the corner. Nikki vigorously rubbed her hands up and down her arms to ward off the chill.
"Why didn't you grab your jacket on the way out?" Nora kept her eyes peeled on the building's entrance.
"I didn't think it would be cold." Nikki lied, barely able to keep herself from crawling into the warm-looking leather with Nora. Although, if truth be told, it was the warmth from Nora that she truly craved; the blonde was a walking hot water bottle.
Nora glanced briefly at Nikki and rolled her eyes before moving her focus back to the opposite side of the street. "You were the one who kept going on and on about the cold front moving in. You even insisted that I wear a jacket today. So, you can drop the bullshit and tell me what you're keeping from me."
Nikki wasn't sure if now was the proper time to inform her lover that the two of them had been slated to play elves at the Christmas party, but as luck would have it, the decision was taken out of her hands when the suspect stepped from his building.
"There he is." Nora burst forward, practically at a full sprint before she'd taken three strides, as she angled towards the man. Nikki broke free of her thoughts and took off after her partner. She'd almost caught up when Nora suddenly left her feet, diving out to capture the fleeing man. The two tumbled onto the hard sidewalk.
From her vantage point, Nikki could only see flailing arms and legs. She hurried to assist her partner, but with the tangle of limbs, she was having a difficult time figuring out where to begin. She'd never been any good at jigsaw puzzles.
"Stop struggling, you asshole." Nora slid her hand to her cuffs and pulled them free. With moves Houdini would be proud of; she had the man handcuffed in seconds. Pushing free, she separated herself from the suspect.
"Stupid son of a bitch; I ought to charge you with assault." Nora resisted slugging the whimpering man as she wiped the blood which flowed from the cut over her eye.
Nikki knelt next to her injured partner. "Are you okay, Nora?"
"Does it look like I'm okay?" She glared at Nikki, immediately regretting both the look and her tone. It wasn't Nikki's fault that the suspect had decided to run, and it wasn't her fault that she'd decided to execute the perfect form tackle. Well, it would've been perfect if the guy hadn't kicked her in the head. Nora eased her tone.
"I'm okay, Nikki. Just read the guy his rights and call for someone to take him in. I think I may need you to drive me to the hospital."
Nikki swallowed the lump that had formed and nodded.
Nora pushed through the emergency room doors and strode towards the parking lot.
"You think that sadist would've at least waited until the deadening agent had time to work before he started sewing me up. Why the hell did he bother to give me a shot at all?"
Nikki trailed behind silently. She'd followed the doctor from the room and explained in very graphic terms what she'd do to him if he ever made another person suffer unnecessarily again. Nikki was fairly certain that gripping the handle of her gun while she expressed her displeasure had gotten the doctor's attention. A quick glance ensured the detective that he'd definitely be in need of clean scrubs before he saw his next patient.
"The car's on the last row." Nikki chanced taking Nora's hand, pleased when Nora grabbed hold tightly. Wordlessly, the pair made the short trek to the car with Nikki opening the door for her partner to crawl in. Nora slid into the vehicle and leaned against the headrest.
"Where to?" Nikki buckled her seatbelt and turned towards the passenger seat to find Nora had closed her eyes. The white bandage stood out starkly against Nora's pale skin.
"The precinct; I want to make sure Bill Grover's ass is safely behind bars."
"Nora, don't you think . . ." Blue eyes snapped opened and met concerned brown ones.
"Let's get him booked, and then you can take me home."
Two hands slowly gravitated towards each other and took hold. Nikki pulled from the space and headed for the exit. She couldn't help but wonder if a scarred elf would scare the hell out of the orphans.
"Hey Delaney, I heard you took down a suspect. I guess it's true about elves being able to fly."
"Elves don't fly, idiot. You're thinking of fairies." A redheaded detective corrected his partner but smiled nonetheless.
Nora frowned, but before she could reply, another barb shot across the room.
"She's the perfect height, too, and her ears seem to be getting larger and more pointed on the ends every day."
Loud guffaws filled the squad room as Nikki and Nora made their way to their desks. Nora clamped down on her jaw and headed directly towards the bulletin board, her eyes settling on the role of the elves. She snatched the notice from its push pins and stomped from the room as laughter followed in her wake.
Nikki sighed and went in search of her lover, finding Nora a few minutes later in an empty interrogation room. Entering the room, Nikki quietly pulled the door to.
"You let me walk right into their hands without a warning." Nora stared through the barred window.
"I'm sorry, Nora. I didn't think the others would start on you so soon. You've already been through so much today; I didn't want to tell you until I'd gotten you home."
Nora glanced towards her lover. "I really hate short jokes."
Nikki dared not grin. "I know."
"I've always been a bit paranoid about my ears, too." Nora inched forward.
"I know." Still no grin.
"But, I've never, ever thought I could fly."
Nikki tilted her head, the ghost of a smile forming in the corner of her mouth. "Never?"
"Well, there was that one time I tried a swan dive from the hay loft's door. I really thought the soft hay would break my fall."
Nikki closed the distance between the two. "And?"
"It broke my arm instead." Nora chuckled.
Closing her eyes, she leaned into the gentle touch which caressed the area around the bandage, confident that no one was spying on them. Nora knew the other detectives would continue to tease her, but there was no way any of them would get close enough for her to strike back.
"You could always ask Dan to reassign the roles." Nikki resisted the urge to kiss her lover, content that Nora was actually allowing the touch.
"No, Dan rotates the roles every year. It's my turn." Nora opened her eyes and smiled. "I guess you got stuck with me."
Nikki slid her hand into her lover's. "I don't mind being stuck with you."
"The feeling's mutual you know."
"Yes, I do. Now, let's get you home."
Nora nodded and allowed Nikki to lead her from the room, pleased when Nikki turned towards the back entrance. She really wasn't in the mood for any more ribbing today.
Nikki stood in front of the full-length mirror and frowned.
"I don't think I've ever seen a 5'9 elf before."
Nora tottered into the room, having difficulty maneuvering in the green turned-up shoes. "Well, you have now." She plopped on the bed and stared down at her feet. "How in the world do elves walk in these things?"
"I imagine it's much easier with four inch feet." Nikki moved towards her lover, lifting her own feet in an exaggerated motion. Nora laughed.
"Those kids are going to think you're some kind of Frankenstein elf."
Nikki slapped Nora on the shoulder. "Just give me a minute to get used to these shoes. I haven't found a shoe that I can't get comfortable in."
"Ain't that the truth," Nora mumbled under her breath as she pushed to her feet. Thoughts of Frankenstein had her reaching up to touch the bandage Nikki had placed over her cut.
"I'm not so sure the green color on the bandage is going to detract the children from what's underneath." Nora changed her walking motion to more of a shuffle.
"They'll think it's part of the costume, Nora. Trust me."
Nora pasted on a smile as the children volleyed question after question at her.
"Did Santa Claus get mad and hit you?"
"Don't you have safety rules at the toy factory?"
"You're so short, you shouldn't have to duck. What happened?"
"Did Rudolph kick you in the head?"
Nikki quickly intervened. "Hey, Santa just got here. You'd better hurry up and get in line. Nessa Vanimedlë and I will be there in a minute to help find your presents." The children screamed excitedly and quickly scampered away. Nora turned to her lover.
"Nessa Vanimedlë? Where the hell do you get that?"
"It's the elfin name for Nora Delaney."
"Oh really, then what's your name pray tell?"
"Uruviel Calaelen."
Nora put her hands on her elfin hips. "You're making this all up."
Nikki grabbed her lover by the elbow. "No, I'm not. I got it from one of those name generator thingies."
"You're serious?" Nora tried to keep up with Nikki. It seemed her lover wasn't lying when she'd said she hadn't yet found a shoe she couldn't get comfortable in.
"Completely; now, come along Nessa, we have presents to hand out." Nikki leaned close, whispering her next words into Nora's ear. "And if you're a good little elf, I'll give you a very special present later."
Nora looked down at her feet and willed them to move faster.
The End