Helen and Nikki Timeline Season Three

SEASON THREE- “Till we meet again on the outside”


3.1 Back From the Brink

Helen can’t go through with the “999” call and hangs up. She refuses to call for a cab as she tries to get Nikki to change her mind about going on the run. When Nikki asks to borrow money for a cab to get Trish’s passport, a frustrated Helen decides to drive the con there herself. Nikki admits that she loves it when Helen is bossy. I love it when you are bossy, too Helen!

Meanwhile, back at Larkhall, Fenner has paid a nighttime visit to Shell who surprises him with a broken bottle to the gut and in a squickening moment adds a Quentin Tarantino-like twist. She holds the injured guard hostage and G-Wing is on alert. Barbara frets when she realizes that Nikki’s escape will be discovered.

Helen is driving across town, trying to ignore her partner’s rattling about running off. Nikki does manage to get a small smile out of Helen when she refers to herself (in her uniform and wig) as “Dusty Springfield’s ugly sister.” When Nikki admits that she would have retuned to prison, even after the night they spent together, if she still had hope of an appeal, Helen makes a change in plans.


Locking Nikki in the car, Helen informs her that she has called the police (Helen is a damn liar) and she is taking Nikki back to Larkhall. Nikki freaks out and grabs the steering wheel and it is all Helen can do to maintain control as another car approaches. Unfortunately, a police car is right behind them.

Helen exits the car and puts on the charm. Luckily, for her, one of the cops is a lesbian who thinks they are having a lovers spat-which they kind of are. She smirks as she encourages Helen to take Nikki and “get back to your bed.”


Helen flashes one of her gazillion watt smiles and gets back in the car. A surly Nikki asks why Helen didn’t turn her in and Helen angrily tells her to shut up. Helen likes to tell all of partners to shut up-it’s one of her most charming qualities. Helen’s cell phone rings interrupting the argument-it’s Karen, telling Helen about Jim and Shell. She needs the Lifers Governor back at Larkhall as soon as possible.

Nikki is dumbfounded when Helen tells her that Fenner’s stabbing is the perfect cover to get her back inside. Helen admits that she didn’t call the police but she threatens to do just that if Nikki tries to make a run for it. Control freak indeed! Nikki feels betrayed and pulls away from Helen’s caress as Helen tries to explain herself:

Helen: Nikki, if we want a future, the only chance we’ve got is to keep fighting for your appeal.

They drive back to Larkhall in silence.


Amid the chaos, Helen manages to sneak Nikki back onto G-Wing unnoticed. They share a brief moment at the bars after Helen instructs Nikki to wait ten minutes before returning to her cell.

Barbara is worried when she hears her cell door unlock, but no one enters. Helen has unlocked it on her way up to Shell’s cell.

A depressed Nikki gets back to her cell without detection and quickly hides her disguise. When she starts to rail on Helen and their lost dreams, Barbara rips her cellmate a new one. Nikki put Helen in a terrible dilemma-why would she risk getting Nikki back inside if she didn’t care about her. Nikki is too distraught. Not only does she think her appeal is ass up, but she believes that Helen doesn’t care about her enough to take the risk of running away, of having a life that Nikki now feels they’ll never have.

After the guards free Fenner and remove Shell from the wing, Helen surveys the bloody cell. The magnitude of what has happened hits her hard and on top of that Nikki is downstairs, wailing against her door. Helen goes to Nikki’s cell and sharply orders the lifer out. As she goes to close the cell door, Helen notices Barbara-she forgot Nikki has a cellmate. Helen angrily orders Nikki into the PO’s office.

Once inside the office, Helen softens her tone and nervously asks Nikki how much Barbara knows. When she realizes that Barbara knows everything about the escape, Helen begins panicking. Nikki says that telling Barbara is no different from Helen telling Dominic, but Helen disagrees:

Helen: I told Dominic about my feelings; you told a prisoner I broke the bloody law.

Nikki assures Helen that Barbara won’t say a word. Besides, Nikki told her it was all over:

Nikki: I don’t have to tell her any different.


Helen makes a sudden decision and turns tear-stained eyes toward Nikki:

Helen: It is all over.
Nikki: [shocked] What?
Helen: It’s got to be…here I am judging Jim Fenner for having an unprofessional relationship with Shell Dockley and look at me.
Nikki : Are you mad?
Helen: I am being a total hypocrite!
Nikki : He’s a total bastard!
Helen: I can’t hold it together anymore Nikki and neither can you. It’s too strong, what we feel and what we need…it’s impossible, we’ve got to let go, we have no choice.
Nikki: This is just shit Helen.
Helen:Shit happens It’s how it is.
Nikki : Not for me! No way! We make our choices… [realizes that Helen won’t give in]you coward! You don’t need me, all you want is an easy life.
Helen: Fine, if that’s the way you want to see it, then hate me for it.

Nikki thinks Helen can’t handle Teh Gayness, but in reality, Helen is trying to protect their future. They can’t continue a sexual relationship without risking Helen’s career and Nikki’s appeal, and they sure as hell can’t continue in a non-sexual relationship after spending the night together.

Nikki returns to her cell where she tells Barbara she can put it down in writing now:

Nikki: N and H: RIP!

Helen’s stoic façade finally collapses and she stands alone on the wing, crying.







3.2 The Turn of the Screw


Nikki is depressed over Helen forcing her back to Larkhall and then dumping her and Barbara is concerned.

Helen is investigating Shell’s attack on Jim Fenner much to the dismay of Bodybag.

Nikki is silently crying-I love Emo!Nikki- on her bunk when Helen knocks on the cell door and comes in. Sharing an uncomfortable acknowledgement with Barbara, who is on her way out, Helen sits at Nikki’s bedside. She encourages the lifer to keep trying:

Helen: Nikki. Nikki…Nikki, you’ve gotta keep trying. Come on, for us.
Nikki: Don’t! There isn’t any us.
Helen: Look, there is if you get out of here. It’s the future we’ve gotta think about.



Nikki explains to Helen that prisoners focus on their release dates. That is what gets them through. When Helen reminds Nikki that she didn’t have a release date before and she still made it, Nikki tells her, “I had you before.”

Nikki: You know, I could get through a whole week just waiting for one look from you. And when I got that, that’d get me through another week. You see, you’re making me remember and I just want to forget!
Helen: Well I’m not going to let you forget because there is going to be a future.
Nikki: A future that could be twelve, fifteen years away.

Helen tells Nikki that Claire isn’t going to make it in, but that she wants to go through the case for the Criminal Case review Commission (CCRC)-a panel that reviews cases for appeal potential. When Nikki looks up in disbelief, Helen chuckles, “What? You thought I was just gonna leave ya in here to rot? Look, we’re gonna do everything to get you outta here, whether you like it or not.”


3.3 The Chains of Freedoms

The prison guards stage a sickout when Shell returns to the wing. Helen suggests allowing the prisoners to run the wing by themselves and both Karen and Simon reluctantly agree.

Helen finds Nikki and they exchange pleasantries and eye-shags before Helen asks Nikki to help keep an eye on things while the PO’s are off. Nikki whines that she hates playing prefect and Helen tells her that if things get out of hand, they will all be banged up. For several days. Nikki agrees, after all, she’s already missed a meeting with her lawyer. Helen assures her that another meeting can be arranged:

Helen: Things are moving, so don’t worry.

The conversation turns to Helen’s investigation into Fenner’s attack. Nikki is not happy to hear that Fenner will be vindicated:

Nikki: So the lucky bastard rides again, eh?
Helen: [smirking]I’m afraid I couldn’t possibly comment.

Nikki smiles at Helen before the two women head their separate ways.

While not exactly relevant to the Helen/Nikki story, the subplot with Nikki and Yvonne is too much fun to exclude. It touches on homophobia and the loneliness of being locked up. Nikki has an interesting conversation with Yvonne when the mafia wife admits that she misses sex. Nikki suggests she find someone on the “same side of the wire”, but Yvonne is not open to the idea of “turning lezzie.”

As they keep an eye on things, Yvonne approaches Nikki and continues their earlier conversation by asking why she never sees the lifer with anyone-after all, she could have her pick inside.



Yvonne: You got someone on the outside? CB translates: What’s up with you and the Scottish midget?
Nikki: [incredulously] No. OMG squee! We are so going steady.

Yvonne continues about how lonely it can be after a while and Nikki offers consolation via a shoulder rub.

Yvonne: Now don’t go getting’ any ideas.
Nikki: [smirking] Come on, you never know, you might like it.
Yvonne: I said I was dire, not bloody desperate, right?

When a knife goes missing from the kitchen, Barbara and Nikki worry that someone might try to harm herself. Thinking back on her conversation the previous night, Nikki pays Yvonne a visit:

Nikki: I know you’re going through a difficult time right now but let me have the knife and I can help you.
Yvonne: I’m not suicidal you stupid cow, I just want a shag! Don’t we all! [begins to laugh] and as far as helping me goes darling, you just haven’t got the tackle.
Nikki: [chuckling] You wanna bet?
[Both women start laughing and then they rip each other’s clothes off ]

Nikki gives Yvonne a number for an escort agency that will masquerade as a solicitor.



3.5 Blood Ties

Having recovered from Shell’s attack, Fenner returns to duty but is still a bit edgy, especially when he encounters Shell on the Wing.

A smiling Helen comes on to the wing and approaches Nikki as Fenner shepherds the inmates back to their cells:

Helen: Have you got a minute. Can I have a word?
Nikki: Did you know he was back? I hoped he might take early retirement, [smiling] but no such luck, eh?
Helen: [grinning] Never mind Fenner, [gently grabs Nikki’s arm] your cell, now! Yay! Bossy!Helen is back.

Helen smiles widely as she follows Nikki to her cell.


Nikki: What? WHAT?
Helen: It’s good news-no, it is fantastic news.
Nikki: What is it?
Helen: Claire Walker has dug up an ex-colleague of Gossard’s who claims he raped her. And get this, she’s prepared to tell to court.

Nikki is understandably gob-smacked. She asks for the woman’s name and repeats it, saying, “Sally Anne Howe, I love you.” Helen continues to tell Nikki how the witness was harassed and threatened after her own attack, but when she heard about Nikki, she decided to come forward. Nikki is thrilled and tells Helen that the CCRC can’t ignore this new evidence. Helen responds by saying the CCRC will take too long-they are getting a petition together for the Home Secretary. When Nikki asks how they will manage that, Helen smiles:

Helen: You forget I work for the Home Office.

Nikki is overwhelmed but Helen cautions her that they have been in this position before and tells Nikki to stay calm. They both agree that the situation is looking “very positive.” Helen tells Nikki that it’s gonna take some tine, but they are going to get things moving. As Helen starts to leave, Nikki calls for her:

Nikki: [softly] Helen.

Helen turns around

Nikki: Thanks. For everything.

Nikki now realizes that Helen did the right thing in forcing Nikki to return to Larkhall. Helen smiles in understanding as she leaves a very encouraged Nikki in her cell.

Fenner, however, doesn’t seem as excited about Nikki’s news:

Fenner: Don’t count your chickens, Wade. Just ‘cause your little governor has been working after hours for you.
Nikki: Surprised, Fenner? I am a miscarriage of justice.
Fenner: My arse!

Fenner continues to voice his opinion of Nikki’s impending appeal when he finds Helen in the office:


Fenner: What is it with you Stewart? You’ve just got to look at a murderer and you go moist?
Helen: You’re out of line, Jim.
Jim: [menacingly] Thanks to you, I had to walk back on this wing with the nutter that tried to stick me. And now you’re telling me that Nikki Wade, the cop- killer is innocent too? You make me sick!
Helen: Well that is a relief. If you approved, I’d know I was doing something wrong. Get out of my face.



3.6 Do or Die

At a Lifer’s meeting, Helen announces that all of the lifers will be getting single cells on the three’s(aka Enhanced). As they are moving, Helen escorts “Podger” Pam Jolly, an emotionally disturbed woman who set a meter reader on fire, to her new cell on G-Wing. I’m sorry, but since when is it considered a crime to light up a meter-reader? When Fenner complains that Helen is turning the wing into a nuthouse, Karen tells him that she is tired of his anti-Helen Stewart campaign. Fenner admits that he is having problems keeping his nerve since returning from the attack. Maybe he should hit that whiskey bottle hidden is his desk drawer.

After getting Pam settled, Helen goes to see Nikki:

Helen: Nikki, [big smile] can I ask ya to do me a favor? CB translates: Help me out and I’ll show ya my boobies.
Nikki: [unable to resist] Yeah. :drool:

Helen asks Nikki to take Pam down to eat and introduce her around the wing claiming that the new inmate is very scared. When Nikki claims that Pam is the scary one, Helen gets upset and defends her decision to move Pam and Nikki reluctantly agrees:

Nikki: All right! But you can’t win ‘em all, ya know.
Helen: What is that, a principle for action?
Nikki: No, it’s just an ‘I care about you!’

Helen pleads with Nikki to give Pam a chance and smiles at Nikki who can’t resist a chance to see Helen’s rack.

Shell, who was attacked by Pam while on the Psych Wing, invites Pam to the front of the line and then tells her to watch “that lezzie Wade”. Shell tells her to run back to her cell and eat before Nikki takes her food away as the wing cheers. When Helen asks Nikki if Pam came down for lunch, Nikki tells her yes, but that she “didn’t stay for the floor show.”

Helen is visibly concerned when she learns that Nikki’s cell has been set on fire. Nikki and Helen arrive at the cell and the inmate is distraught when she see’s her beloved books have been destroyed, especially her copy of Sophie’s World. :



Nikki: [holding charred book] First thing you ever gave me.
Helen: I’ll buy you another copy.
Nikki: I warned you not to bring that fat head case up here, but you always know best, don’t ya?

Helen reminds Nikki that everyone on the unit is a suspect and heads out the door, stopping briefly for one last look as the grieving inmate.

Helen meets Dr. Thomas Waugh, an independent psychiatrist brought in to evaluate Pam Jolly after other inmates beat her. Anyone else think that Thomas looks a bit like Nikki? Except for the broken nose? And the stubble? And the fact that he’s a man?

Helen visits a much-improved Pam to tell her that she will be moving to an open prison. You go, Pam! Take those maxi-pads off the mirror and look at your pretty self. Nikki stops by to invite Pam to work with her in the garden, if she can “fix it with the screws.” She looks at Helen who smiles in return, no doubt silently wishing Nikki would fix her with a screw.

Nikki walks with Helen and asks for a release warrant for Tinkerbelle, a cat the Two Julies found, and her kittens. When Helen agrees, Nikki continues:


Nikki: I’ve got to apologize to you. You were dead right about Pam Jolly.
Helen: [smiles] Well you were right, I was putting my neck on the block. OMG! Helen admits Nikki was right alert!! But I really feel I can change things now. Oh, I nearly forgot.
[Hands Nikki a new copy of Sophie’s World.]
Helen: I know it’s not the same, but…
Nikki opens the book to find an inscription:

Until we meet on the outside -H

and shares a moment with Helen, then watches lovingly as the Governor walks away.

That night, Helen enters the PO’s office and asks Fenner, on edge after dealing with Shell taunting him, to hand her a file:

Helen: I need Pam Jolly’s file [looks concerned] Are you all right?
Fenner: [angrily stubs out cigarette] If one more bitch…[yanks open file cabinet and grabs file holding it out shakily toward Helen] You want a file…

Helen nervously walks toward Fenner to get the file and is terrified when Fenner her grabs her and pins her against the filing cabinet. Christ Fenner, all she asked for was a file!


Fenner: Or shall I show you what you really want, hmm? [Sticks his hand between Helen’s legs]
Helen fights him off and flees the office. Oh Mr. Fenner, you have just made a huge mistake.



3.7 The Great Escape


Fenner tries to apologize to Helen but she furiously accuses him of assault and tells him that if she had an iota of proof, she’d have him sacked. Fenner grabs Helen and tells her that he blames her for his panic attacks because every time he walks on the wing, he has to see Shell Dockley:

Fenner: Ah, but you see, I blame you, Helen. Cause every time I walk in here, I have to face the evil cow that came that far away from killing me.
Helen: Well let’s just hope that the next time she’s that much luckier. And Suh-NAP!


Nikki, looking adorable in her little cap, is thrilled when she sees Helen standing by the garden gate and engages in a little fun conversation:


Nikki: Hey, I’ve missed you. You don’t write, you don’t phone… [notices Helen’s tear-stained face] Helen?
Helen: It’s nothing.
Nikki: [sets down wheelbarrow]Don’t look like nothing.
Helen: [unlocking gate] I’ll sort it out myself.
Nikki: Might have known I could be of any use. Oh Nikki, it’s not always about you, darling!
Helen : [turns to Nikki, extremely upset] Nikki…ya gotta promise if I tell you it’ll go no further. I mean it.
Nikki: Hand on heart. What’s happened?
Helen: It’s Jim Fenner.
Nikki: Might’ve guessed.
Helen: The other night, I was in the office and he was having a go as usual, [lowers voice to a whisper] but I really didn’t expect what happened after that.
Nikki: Like what?
Helen: He assaulted me.
Nikki: [shocked] What?
Helen: [struggling not to cry]Between my legs. He said he knew what I needed to sort me out.
Nikki:[angrily] I’ll kill him.
Helen: I really don’t think that’s gonna help right now.
Nikki: He sexually assaulted you!
Helen: Calm down! I don’t really know what to do, other than lock him in a cell with Shell Dockley.
Nikki: Have you told Stubberfield?
Helen: No I can’t
Nikki: Why not? Get the bastard sacked, it’s time someone did.


Helen simply stares in Nikki’s eyes, silently pleading for the physical comfort she knows she can’t have.

It’s interesting to note Nikki’s violent reaction to hearing Helen has been assaulted as compared to Sean’s wimpy “can she be transferred’ reaction when Helen lied about Nikki kissing her.

Nikki sees Fenner alone on an upper landing and starts to go after him until another guard appears. She finally gets her chance when she finds Fenner alone in the PO’s office. Under the pretext of filing a complaint about a visiting documentary film crew, she lets the sleazy guard know exactly what she thinks of him as viewers around the world applaud her:

Nikki: Know what you are Fenner? A first class bastard.
Fenner: Yeah? Well, women like that sort of thing. Real women anyway.
Nikki: [smiling menacingly] Dockley didn’t, did she? Not in the end.

Nikki looks at the empty cream bottle sitting on the edge of the table.

Nikki: She had a way with a bottle, [rests her big ole lesbian hand near bottle] just like me.
Fenner: [panicking] Get out of here, Wade.
Nikki: And here’s me, all I want is one little form. [gets angry] It’s enough to really piss me off!
Fenner: I said that’s enough, back off.
Nikki: You know, if I wasn’t getting out of here [moves big ole lesbian hand closer to bottle] it would almost be worth it.

Nikki continues to intimidate Fenner until Helen discovers them and barges in:

Helen: Nikki! What is going on?

Realizing what Nikki was doing, Angry!Helen follows the con back to her cell and lays into her (not “lays her” you damn pervs):

Helen: Are you out of your stupid mind? There we go with the ‘stupid’ again.
Nikki: Sorry.
Helen: There’s your appeal out the window. I’ve been working my arse off to get you out of here or haven’t you noticed? All I ask is for you to keep your head down and your nose clean.
Nikki: You didn’t really expect me to say nothing, I have got feelings you know!
Helen:[yelling] Yeah but what kind Nikki? Anger, jealousy, violence: those aren’t the qualities I generally look for in a person. :CB tears up her dating profile:Just remember what got you in here in the first place.
Nikki: I didn’t touch him!
Helen: No but you wanted to.
Nikki: What, and you don’t?
Helen: I am not the one in here serving life for sticking a bottle in a policeman’s neck!


Helen storms out leaving Nikki to think about what she’s risked.

Fenner offers to help Shell escape if she will help him discredit Helen Stewart in the process.

Nikki sees Helen on the landing and apologizes for putting all of Helen’s hard work, and their future at risk. Helen tells her that she understands how she feels, but it’s her battle and Nikki should concentrate on her own. Nikki sadly watches Helen walk away. No boobies tonight.

When the documentary crew tries to film a Lifers Meeting, Helen throws them out earning an admiring smile from Nikki.

Shell escapes taking two other prisoners, Denny and Shaz with her. When Shaz falls and hurts her ankle, she is left behind faster than Kirk Cameron in a movie about the apocalypse. Shell and Denny take on new identities: Barbara Hunt and Nicola Wade.

3.8 Uninvited Guests

When the investigation into Shell’s escape questions the lax regulation of the Lifers Unit, Helen realizes that she has been set up to take the fall. She gets the team to focus on the soap found under Shell’s mattress(Fenner is really a dumbass, isn’t he?) and Karen sends Shell’s diary off for forensic testing which proves that the entries were all written at the same time.

An injured Shaz is found and returns to G-Wing, but refuses to tell Helen where Shell and Denny were going.

Helen indirectly saves Bodybag from Shell and Denny when she pieces together a comment from Shaz and Bodybag’s unexplained absence.


Karen begins to believe Jim about Helen having it in for him. Karen is thinking with her crotch.

Area Management fires Simon Stubberfield. Buh-bye!


3.10 Chapel of Love

Helen pulls into her parking place and smirks as she walks into Larkhall- she is now the acting Number One. Karen, disappointed at being passed over for the promotion, breaks the news to an incredulous Fenner who now has reason to worry.

As the Lifers meeting ends and the inmates file out, Helen calls for Nikki to stay behind. She excitedly reveals her promotion to Nikki who is less than enthusiastic:


Helen: Oh Nikki, don’t you see what it means?
Nikki: Yeah sure, means you’re top of the shit-heap…fantastic! I’ll even have time for a group chat, when you can fit it in.
Helen: God, I can always rely on you for a hard time can’t I? Look, if it means anything, it means that I’ve got more chance of getting you out of here. And it sure as hell means count your days Jim Fenner.

Fenner congratulates Helen on her promotion and tries to smooth over “that little incident”, but Helen refuses to look at him. When he sees that she is giving him the cold shoulder, he realizes that Helen now has the opportunity to make his work life hell and goes on the offensive:

Jim: There is such a thing as harassment in the workplace.
Helen: [coolly looks Fenner in the face] Oh, I know!

Helen has asked Thomas to be the new Senior Medical Officer (SMO) and they are discussing some of the changes they want to implement when Claire interrupts them with news for Nikki.

A nervous Nikki sits in Helen’s office and is speechless when Claire says that the Home Office has submitted her case to the Appeals Court. Nikki looks at Helen in disbelief as Helen secretly smiles in return-this means they finally have a real chance at being together. Nikki cries tears of joy as Helen smiles openly. An exuberant Helen walks Claire to the door and returns to a surprisingly sedate Nikki. Her excitement overwhelms Nikki’s quiet response and Helen grabs Nikki’s hands in celebration, pulling her closer. They are seconds away from a kiss when Thomas-you gorgeous bastard- interrupts, seeing them holding hands.


Nikki is so thrilled with her news that she doesn’t even get jealous when Thomas asks Helen to have a drink with him. Thomas leaves and Helen gives Nikki a very seductive look, which Nikki returns. I’m pretty sure they did it on Helen’s desk, but the cameras ran out of film.


3.11 Battle Lines

Nikki takes up the cause of Femi, a non-English speaking Nigerian prisoner who is struggling to adjust to prison life. She asks Helen to help her but Helen feeds her the company line about blah, blah, helpline cakes. When Nikki reminds the governor that Femi needs a translator, Helen agrees to look into it only to have Nikki go off about the injustice of Femi’s sentence. Reminding Nikki that as Governor, she doesn’t “make the bloody law”, Helen walks off the wing. Well Nikki, she showed you.

Helen and Thomas have forged a friendship out of their desire to improve the prison system. When Thomas invites Helen to attend a conference where he is presenting a paper, she declines. Thank god, cause you know he just wants to get in her pants. Helen then tells Thomas about the situation with Femi. He offers to try using his limited language skills in an effort to communicate with Femi if Helen will accompany him to the conference. Acknowledging that she set her self up, a laughing Helen agrees and walks off as Thomas watches her, >strike>knowing he will get laid</strike> affectionately.

A confused Femi tries to use the officers’ phone to contact her family and is roughed up, in full view of Nikki and the other inmates, as she is taken to the block. Nikki confronts Helen in the garden and demands to know what is happening with Femi. Helen tells the inmate exactly who is in charge of running Larkhall:

Helen: It may come as a huge surprise to ya, but I’m the one running this prison, not you.
Nikki: But I’m worried about that woman, I have a right to know how she is, haven’t I?
Helen: Actually, Nikki, no you haven’t.

Nikki watches in disbelief as Helen walks away.


Where is the sweet woman who held her in bed as she cried after the sexxin’? Sorry, Nikki, she’s on a power trip. May we take a message?

Back on the wing, Nikki reluctantly organizes a peaceful sit-out until they learn how Femi is doing. When the guards appear, Maxi Purvis, a new troublemaker, encourages the other inmates to protect themselves by going on the offensive. Helen arrives on the wing and listens as Nikki explains the reasons for the protest and demands discipline for the PO’s involved in Femi’s beating.



All hell breaks loose when Maxi dumps water on Helen’s head. Nikki’s pleas for calm are ignored as the protest escalates into a full-blown riot. This is slightly similar to Helen and Nikki’s first confrontation: Nikki speaking out in defense of another inmate, and Helen showing who is actually in charge. It kind of brings their relationship full circle to the first episode. Even the staging is similar.

Helen organizes the other officers and the make a plan of attack:

Helen: We pull back and identify the ringleaders. That is from the top, Sylvia
Hollamby: We know who the ringleader is…Nikki Wade.

Nikki is introduced to Caroline Lewis, a new inmate who successfully talks the rebelling inmates into disarming themselves.

Nikki: Have you been on G-Wing long? CB translates: I like blondes.
Caroline: A couple of weeks. It’s not real.
Nikki: Only I’ve not noticed you before. Neither was my ex’s. And I think I just pissed off my current girlfriend, so you wanna have sex?
Caroline: [smiles shyly] Oh…well I’ve definitely noticed you. Fuck yes!


3.12 Tough Love

The riot continues and Caroline takes the opportunity to get acquainted with Nikki. When Caroline makes a pass at her, Nikki tells her that she has someone waiting on the outside:

Nikki: I’m spoken for.

Caroline is not easily discouraged.


Helen reports what she has done for Femi and a relieved Nikki calls off the riot only to have Maxi and her gang start things up again with new complaints. A desperate Nikki pleads with Helen:

Nikki: It just needs time to sink in, that’s all. They’re a bit fired up. CB translates: I’ll put the kids to bed then we can have sex, okay?
Helen: [stonily] And who fired them up, Nikki? No sex for you!

Nikki watches with concern as Helen walks away- she realizes that Helen blames her for the riot. Nikki and Yvonne lock up Maxi and her gang and tell Helen that the riot is over just as Helen is about to send her guards in with orders to hit hard and fast. Helen angrily orders the inmates back to their cells, and glares at a dawdling Nikki:

Helen: What are you waiting for, Wade? I said get back to your cell!

Nikki meets Helen at her cell door and tries to explain:

Nikki: This wasn’t about you.
Helen: I don’t want to hear it!
Nikki: This was about the system.
Helen: I am the system while I’m in charge! You betrayed me tonight.
Nikki: I thought you wanted to change things in here.
Helen: Not by violence.
Nikki: That was the Peckham gang wanting a free-for-all, they don’t care about Femi.
Helen: It’s over Nikki.
Nikki: What?
Helen: You and me…I don’t want anything more to do with you, and you know something; I don’t even feel sad about it. Now get back to your cell!



Harsh! Helen has now dumped Nikki three times, and it looks like this time, it’s for good.

The inmates are on lockdown and a depressed Nikki lies in her bed while the officers search the cells for contraband. Tears run down her face as another inmate shouts, “You’re not Stewart’s pet now, Wade!”

Meanwhile, Helen flirts with Thomas about the upcoming conference. Damn, no grass grows under this girl’s feet.

When lockdown is over, Nikki tells Barbara that Helen broke up with her…again.

Barbara: Oh she must’ve said that in the heat of the moment, won’t she?
Nikki: It seemed pretty final to me. Maybe she’d just come to her senses, I mean, it is a bit unlikely if you think about it, me and her… together.
Barbara: Well not if you win your appeal-

They are interrupted by Caroline who looks really cute and actually wants to talk to Nikki. So there, Stewart! Across the wing, Maxi Purvis watches with great interest.

Barbara, ever the romantic, tries to explain to Helen that the riot wasn’t Nikki’s fault, in fact, Nikki tried to stop it from getting out of control. Helen, thinking that Nikki asked Barbara to speak on her behalf, tells Barbara that keeping people calm was the only thing that kept Nikki from being shipped out:

Helen: If she thinks she was treated badly, you can tell her from me she doesn’t know she was even born!

Nikki grows closer to Caroline and invites her into the potting shed as Helen watches from her window, a pained expression on her face. Now why would anyone want a tall, leggy blonde when they can have a wee bit of shortbread like Helen?

Caroline and Nikki are tucked away in the library and start to kiss just as Helen walks in. Trying to keep her emotions in check, Helen asks to speak to Nikki privately. She begs Nikki to tread carefully as they are so close to the appeal. Nikki accuses Helen of being jealous and worse yet, stalking her:

Nikki: Look! You’ve made it clear that you don’t give a shit about me-fine! So how I feel has nothing to do with you!

Helen is visibly upset as Nikki goes to leave, and calls out to the inmate. Nikki turns back and locks eyes with Helen for a moment before impatiently asking, “Well?” Helen very cryptically begs Nikki to be careful. WTF?

Due to overcrowding, Helen decides to ship some of the women out, including Caroline. Nikki, believing that Helen is acting on her jealousy, goes to the Governor’s office and lets her have it:

Nikki: You just can’t bear to see me happy…can you?
Helen: You are way off.
Nikki: Why can’t you just admit that you’re jealous?
Helen: I don’t have to explain myself to you.
Nikki: Because you haven’t got the balls, that’s why. You’re like a big kid; you don’t want the toy and you don’t want anyone else to have it either. Is this how it’s going to be, every time I meet someone they get moved out?
Helen: I won’t be responsible for that when your wing governor’s back.
Nikki: Betts wouldn’t have done this.
Helen: Look Nikki, I’ve got no more to say on the matter.
Nikki: And that’s what you always do Helen, isn’t it? You play the power game on me. Have you ever considered therapy? Christ knows you need it!

Congrats to Nikki for finally calling Helen on her control issues/power trippin’. Helen stays strong during Nikki’s tirade but nearly breaks down after the inmate storms out.

Nikki finally understands what Helen was doing when Maxi reveals that Caroline, thought to be in Larkhall for embezzlement, is actually a child pornographer. Helen was simply trying to protect Nikki, both emotionally and physically.


The other inmates charge toward Caroline as a bewildered Nikki catches Helen watching her, apologizing with her eyes for not being able to tell her the truth.


3.13 Revolving Door

Helen and Thomas return from the conference and joke about Helen’s tolerance for Teh Booze and the fact that Thomas is a pantywaist.


Thomas makes his attraction to Helen known and she doesn’t seem to mind the idea-at all. While it may seem like it was only last episode week when Helen and Nikki broke up, we often see weeks, maybe a month, pass between episodes. It would really help to judge the time if they would keep an inmate pregnant at all times.


3.14 Standing Up

When Helen witnesses Fenner getting cozy with Maxi Purvis, she thinks the sleazy officer is up to his old tricks and calls him on it in front of a few inmates-and Thomas. When Thomas admits he didn’t see anything out of order, Helen decides to show him the report she wrote detailing Fenner’s sexual attack against her. Thomas is livid and agrees to help Helen get Fenner out of Larkhall, and the prison system, for good.

When Karen confronts Helen about her accusations against Fenner, Helen begs the wing governor to step back and see Jim for the man he really is. Karen refuses to listen and warns Helen that if she makes another unsubstantiated claim against her big strapping hunk of love Fenner, she will file an official complaint herself-against Helen.

Thomas continues to charm Helen when he treats Shaz, a young inmate being bullied by Maxi and her gang. When they discuss his unorthodox way of helping Shaz-having someone teach her to kickbox-Helen invites Thomas for a drink. He reluctantly tells her that he already has plans and invites her to accompany him to the dog races. Oh dear.

The quest to get rid of Fenner gets unexpected help when Yvonne offers information to Helen about Fenner’s “night-time activities.” He has taken over the monetary collection of a new inmate’s (Virginia O’Kane) prostitution ring. Yvonne uses her outside connections (aka her hotter-than-hot daughter, Lauren) to get a list of the brothels and gives it to Helen who makes it her mission to catch Fenner in the act.



Thomas keeps watch with Helen outside of a club and is surprised when Helen leans over and kisses him in the cheek:

Thomas: And that was for? CB translates: Huh?
Helen: For believing in me. And for being a good man, I was beginning to think there weren’t any left. And because I feel sorry for you. To help me forget about my ex-girlfriend
Thomas: [laughing] Oh, you were doing so well. Whatever helps me get laid
Helen: I feel sorry for ya because I’m gonna whip your arse at the dogs tonight. Well, you do kinda remind me of her

Helen has a blast at the races and agrees to go back to Thomas’s place for a drink.


They sit on the couch surrounded by a crackling fireplace and thousands of candles, talking easily until Thomas tries to tell Helen how he feels about her. Helen tries to change the topic by suggesting “one for the road” and admits that hearing what Thomas has to say may be too much for her. Thomas leans in to kiss her and Helen responds. Um, Helen, honey? If you have to drink to be with a man, you probably shouldn’t BE with a man. Just sayin’.

3.15 Cat and Mouse

Helen and Thomas sneak a kiss in the hallway not realizing that a smirking Fenner is watching.

When Thomas complains about spending all their time sitting in a car watching for Fenner instead of in more conventional ways (i.e. banging the sheets), Helen tells him that she will catch Fenner in the act if she has to sit outside massage parlors every night for a year, two years if needed. Yo, Tommy, maybe she just doesn’t like The Sex with you. The discussion rapidly deteriorates into an argument and Helen reaches out to stop Thomas from leaving, but he does anyway. Leave Thomas, and don’t come back!

Helen goes to Yvonne to get specific information about Fenner’s activities in order to speed up the surveillance.

Fenner escorts Nikki back from her university exams and spout off about the power of knowledge:

Fenner: Did you know that your girlfriend, Miss Stewart, is shagging the new SMO?



Nikki is upset but walks away from Fenner without responding. Excellent display of self-control, Miss Wade.

After the weekly Lifers meeting, Helen tries to find out why Nikki is acting so unpleasantly. Nikki looks directly into Helen’s eyes and asks, “Is it true you’re shagging the new SMO?” The guilty look on Helen’s face is answer enough and Nikki sneers as she say, “I just thought you might have told me yourself instead of letting Fenner do it for you,” before storming out.


Helen lets herself into Nikki’s cell and apologizes for not telling Nikki about Thomas herself:

Helen: No, I’m sorry you found out from Fenner. I owe you more than that.CB translates: I still love you.
Nikki: Trust him not to miss a good kick, eh. But you are with that man
Helen: I don’t him screwing anything over you Nikki. Ever. But I still love YOU!

Nikki asks if it is serious and tries to keep the tears from falling when Helen admits that it’s, “early days, maybe.” Chivalrous as always, Nikki tells Helen not to feel bad for her as she has a new life waiting for her, on the outside, after her appeal is over. For a brief moment, Helen looks as if the idea of Nikki having someone else hadn’t occurred to her, but she gains her composure, smiles brightly and says, “Hey, now you’re talking.” Helen leaves after Nikki wishers her luck, and Nikki leans back against her wall trying to deal with the fact that she has really lost Helen.


This scene is a nice bookend to when Helen first left Larkhall back in Season 2’s, “Shit Happens,” innit?

Nikki tells Barbara that Helen has found someone else and Barbara tries to offer comfort. Nikki vows to look forward to her appeal.

Helen gets the information she needs from Yvonne and finally catches Fenner in the act of collecting money at the massage parlor. When Fenner goes to attack her, Helen lies and tells Fenner that a friend is taking pictures. Helen vows not to tell Karen about his indiscretions as long as his resignation is on her desk the next morning.

When Fenner wavers on submitting his resignation, Helen bluffs and tells him that she has substantial evidence against him. He agrees to leave and asks for a few hours to break the news to Karen. Fenner uses this time to search for evidence of the affair he has always suspected between Helen and Nikki and blackmails another PO into helping him.

Nikki tells Barbara that she has been talking to Trish who is now on her own again. Oh yeah, now that Nikki might be getting out, Trish wants her back.

Helen and Thomas celebrate their victory over Fenner in Helen’s office and Thomas says he can’t wait to start acting like a normal couple.

Helen: Are you trying to say I’m abnormal wanting to get Fenner by the balls?
Thomas: I’ve got a girlfriend more interested in massage parlors then spending the night with me…

Well Thomas, if it walks like a lesbian, and talks like a lesbian, and goes to massage parlors like a lesbian…

Helen kisses Thomas who tells her that he is totally in love with her. Helen doesn’t reciprocate with words, but acknowledges Thomas’s feelings with another kiss.

Fenner and Di find Barbara’s diary, which details Helen and Nikki’s affair, and after putting it together with the bus ticket they found in Nikki’s cell and the nurse’s coat hidden in Helen’s filing cabinet, they realize that Nikki escaped and spent the night with Helen.


Fenner uses this information and turns the table on Helen-he wants her resignation.


3.16 Coming Out

Helen shows up for work the next day and tells Fenner she isn’t resigning over a “prisoner’s jottings and a few planted clues.” When Fenner threatens to report Nikki’s escape to the Appeals Court, Helen admits she is beaten, and agrees to step down.

Helen meets Nikki in the library and tells the inmate that she is resigning. Nikki, once again, is devastated:

Nikki: Barbara will lie for us. Say I put her up to it-the fantasies of a sex-starved con.
Helen: The whole reason I came into this job is because I believed that I had principles.
Nikki: You have. That’s why you can’t leave.
Helen: No, that’s why I can’t ask an inmate to lie for me.
Nikki: That’s the least she can bloody well do.
Helen: Nikki, it’s no good. Fenner has got far too much over me.
Nikki: Why does his luck hold out? Every bastard time.

Nikki walks away and Helen follows, comforting her when Nikki begins to tear up. Helen encourages Nikki to win her appeal, but the inmate starts crying as she asks, “What if they send me right back here?”

Helen: You mustn’t think like that.
Nikki: Knowing I’ll never see you again. I know we’re only friends, I know that [lip begins to tremble] But you were always more than someone I just fancied, you were my hope.



:CB starts to cry like a little bitch:

Helen: [tears up as she reaches for Nikki] Shh, Nikki…
Nikki: How could I face another ten years in this place with no hope? I can’t help feeling it’s all my fault. If…if you’d never met me, if we’d never gotten involved. I kept letting you down.
Helen: Listen, you’ve gotta forget about me, and focus on your future. Can you promise me?
[they are interrupted by Thomas]
Helen: Bye Nikki.

Helen tells Thomas that she is leaving Larkhall and when he asks why she is lying to him about the reason, she admits that she doesn’t know how Thomas will react to the truth. She asks him to trust her.

In Karen’s office, Helen tells the Wing Governor that she is leaving because Jim is a cocksmack. She once again begs Karen to see the real Jim, but Karen refuses to believe Helen’s allegations about her Mr. Dreamboat.

Declining to work her notice, Helen argues again with Thomas about leaving Larkhall. As a last minute “Fuck you” to Fenner, Helen decides to give Karen the report detailing Fenner’s assault against her.

Fenner makes a snide remark to Helen as she leaves and earns a wrathful glare from Thomas. After sending Thomas to the car, Helen warns Fenner that she isn’t going down alone. Nikki watches tearfully from her window as Helen, struggling to maintain her composure, looks toward the inmate’s window one last time. Now as much as I love Helen, and I admit this guide is Helen-love heavy, I simply adore Emo!Nikki. How could anyone not want to kiss her tears away?

The next day, Nikki prepares to leave for court and has the misfortune of drawing Fenner as an escorting officer. Fenner tries to break Nikki’s confidence with discouraging remarks, but is silenced when the court agrees to hear the evidence that could set Nikki free. Suck on that, Fenner!

Back at Larkhall, Fenner tells Thomas that the real reason Helen resigned was because she had been sleeping with Nikki Wade. Thomas responds by punching Fenner in the face. I love Thomas!

That night Thomas meets Helen for dinner and asks her if there is someone else. Helen is surprised when Thomas brings up Nikki Wade. She admits to her affair with Nikki but tries to assure Thomas that it was over long before she started in with him. He wonders why she risked a career she loved if her relationship with Nikki wasn’t serious, but Helen tries to explain it all away:

Helen: You know what prison’s like. It’s its own little world. Things get twisted and distorted.
Thomas: Only if it helped unlock something you’ve been denying.
Helen: I don’t deny that I cared for Nikki, but I’m away from Larkhall now. I’m with you.
Thomas: I’m not a quick fix.
Helen: I know that.
Thomas: Do you? [Thomas gets up to leave]
Helen: Please, Thomas. Wait.
Thomas: I’ve been hurt before because someone wasn’t honest with me, but you, Helen, you’re not even being honest with yourself.


Fenner tries to blackmail Di into planting a shiv on Nikki before leaving for court the next day. Di stands up to him and refuses.

The morning, Nikki says goodbye to her friends in one of the most heartwarming scenes ever, and leaves Larkhall for what she hopes will be the last time.


Her appeal is successful and she is released from custody and into the waiting arms of Trish, who clearly still carries a torch for Nikki. Claire congratulates Nikki and mentions that she can’t wait to call Helen. On the courtroom steps, Nikki makes a speech to the media:

Nikki: It goes without saying that I’m delighted to be set free. Prison’s a terrible place, people don’t know half of what goes on. There are male officers employed on female residential wings, abusing vulnerable women. Anyway, I was one of the lucky few inside to get access to some real education and there’s one woman I’ve got to that for all that because she always believed in me no matter how tough things got. I owe that woman, not only my freedom, but also my life.

Helen is sitting in a pub watching Nikki’s speech on the television, tears forming as she listens to Nikki thanking her.

At the club, Trisha and Nikki discuss Nikki’s relationship with Helen and their own hopes for a new beginning. Nikki is surprised when Helen shows up and goes over to talk with her.

Helen: I had to see ya, tell ya how happy I am for ya.
Nikki: It’s all a bit of a dream right now.
Helen: [smiling] You’ll get used to it.
Nikki: I’d never have done it without you Helen, you know that. You stood by me when no one else gave a damn. If you knew how much that meant…
Helen: I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.

Helen is about to say something when she makes eye contact with Trisha and changes her mind. She smiles and tells Nikki she has to go. Trisha pushes Nikki to go after Helen and Nikki runs out to see a cab leaving. Disappointed, she begins to go back in when she hears a familiar voice:



Helen: Ya looking for someone?
Nikki: [relieved] I thought it was a bit rude not to ask you to stay for a drink.
Helen: Well, I figured if I waited out here long enough…
Nikki: So…do you wanna come back in?
Helen: I could stay for one, I suppose
Nikki: That is unless there’s somewhere else you’ve gotta be.
Helen: Thomas and I split up. I’ve been such an idiot Nikki
Nikki: I know what you’re saying
Helen: No let me say it. Thomas is gorgeous; he’s everything you could want in a man, but, I want a woman.
Nikki: [Smiling in relief] We’ll take it slow.
Helen: Yeah, dead slow.



They kiss passionately on the sidewalk until they realize they are blocking the way, and then move to a doorway, slowly making up for lost time.

Screen caps courtesy of:
SimoneLahbib.net
The Official bad Girls Site"
and
Helen and Nikki Fan Fiction