Ok, this is my first Silent Witness fic, and I'm kinda nervous putting it on here cos I've read so many amazing ones that have so much detail, and I'm hoping that I can write something that is close to as good as them :P

Although I've had this idea in my head for ages, I don't know if it's any good. So even though this is only a short introduction chapter and the case isn't really explained any, please let me know if it's terrible :)

Of course, all characters belong to the BBC, I'm just borrowing them for my amusement :D

Night had arrived fast and the only light that graced the surroundings came from the moon that struggled to make an appearance through the rainclouds. And yet she managed to keep walking. Walking in no direction in particular, just moving as far away as she could from the nightmare she had escaped from.

Time passed as she walked through the trees, her bare arms clutching her body as she shivered and her lips turning blue due to the cold and loss of blood. Her thin white shirt had been soaked a dark red and she had a metallic taste in the back of her throat. A recent gash above her right eyebrow now seemed to be the smallest of her injuries, although the once white steri-strips that had secured the skin were now soaked red from a new injury on the side of her head.

Staggering into another tree she tried to take a deep breath and felt the last of her energy leave her body, collapsing to the hard ground. The trees around her rustled in the wind, and she could feel her eyes become heavy as the world around her began to disappear.

Clutching her ribs she felt the pain shoot through her body once more as the warm blood ran through her fingers. Pulling her knees tight into her chest she wrapped her arms around herself, trying to retain the last of her body heat.

Her eyes drifted closed, and her breathing became laboured as she tried to switch herself off from the situation she had found herself in. And as the darkness engulfed her completely she managed to whisper a single word.

'Harry.'

The cold wind whistled through the trees, and the street light outside her window flickered, casting abstract shadows through her bedroom. Inside the blonde pathologist pulled the blankets up further, and huddled into the warmth of her bed, her mind focusing on nothing and everything at the same time. It had taken her hours to drift off into a state between dreams and reality, and she knew that she would feel the effects of the lack of sleep in the morning.

In this state, dreams and reality seemed to be so tightly intertwined that it was difficult for her to focus on what was real. She was sure she could feel the warmth of a breath on the back of her neck, a familiar soft chuckle in her ear, the buzz of her phone on her bedside table. Her phone? That wasn't usually part of her dreams. Sighing, she turned around and reached out towards the source of the buzzing, reality now taking over fully. Glancing at the number, she flipped open her mobile and lay back down.

'What do you want,' she grumbled into the phone.

'Well good morning to you too,' replied the voice from the other end.

She laughed slightly. 'Do you realise what time it is?' she asked rhetorically. 'Morning has only just began, how do I know if it's going to be a good one?'

'Because you're going to see me,' the voice replied matter-of-factly.

'Hmmm…'she mumbled. 'And I'm guessing seeing you will be closely linked to also seeing a couple of bodies in various stated of decomposition?'

'Yup,' came the voice, far too cheerful for this time in the morning.

'Oh Harry, how romantic,' she laughed. 'And how do you know that I haven't got a better offer here?'

'Don't make me laugh Nikki,' said Harry. 'You left work about six hours ago. Not even you would be able to find someone on the way home.'

'Really?' asked Nikki playfully, not wanting to tell him that it had been closer to three hours since she had left work. 'I'll have you know I found more than one actually. And they're not very happy that you woke them up.'

'Tart,' laughed Harry. 'See you soon; I'll text you the location. And bring wellies.'

'I hate you,' moaned Nikki.

'Charming, as always. Love you too,' said Harry before hanging up the phone.

Nikki threw her phone onto the pillow beside her, and pulled the sheets up over her eyes.

'I'm not going,' she mumbled to herself. 'He can deal with this on his own. I am not giving in.'

Half an hour later Nikki was standing in the cold winter night, rain soaking her long hair, and almost knee high in mud.

She had stepped into a set of white scrubs whilst sitting in her car that was at the top of the steep slope down towards the crime scene. Harry had text her with the location before she had even managed to drag herself out of bed, but she knew when he had mentioned wellies that she was going to regret going. The bodies had been found on a slope that ran down towards a small river. The ground was marshy and brown, and when she had stepped off the small path at the top of the slope, her feet sank straight into the mud. Harry was situated about half way down the slope with the body of a young male who was covered in blood despite the rain that was still falling.

Pulling on a pair of white surgical gloves, she waded through the mud towards Harry who was crouched over the body, a police officer holding a torch standing next to him. As she got closer, Harry looked up and smiled.

'Glad you could join us,' he smirked as he held his torch up towards her.

'Half an hour ago I was in bed,' she shot as him. 'You only phoned me because you were bored. Again. You were more than capable of doing this on your own.'

'Caught red handed,' said Harry holding up his hand that was covered in the victims blood.

'Oh you are funny,' said Nikki trying to sound serious, but she couldn't help the smile that was playing on her lips. 'What have you got?'

'A great personality, my own place, and a very posh car,' said Harry, now looking the body over again.

'It is far too early for your bad humour Harry Cunningham,' sighed Nikki as she crouched down to the body.

'Hey, hands off,' smiled Harry. 'I've got you one all of your own.'

He tilted his head in the direction of the river where another police officer was standing. Nikki rolled her eyes and made her way towards the other body.

'Your car's not that posh,' she added and heard Harry chuckle behind her.