It's all coming back to me now.

The phrase of words stilled her. They were meant to bring back a time, a time long forgotten, stored in the past, buried deep within. They brought forth another line... After all that's been said and done, you're just a part of me I can't let go... They pierced her heart and brought tears to her eyes- tears she would never allow to fall.

"Who are you? A new one?" A man came up to her as she walked into the main hall- the heart- of the covert agency.

"In a way." The woman answered and headed for the director's office. He held a tower room not unlike the leader's of the last place she had worked in.

"Josephine, please come in." A female voice stated as the door to the office opened.

She smiled- a woman in charge, well what do ya know? "Ma'am." Josephine acknowledged the woman.

"I've heard a lot about you. Your work in Section One was superb. I am glad to finally meet you." The woman offered her hand.

Josephine took it only because it was proper- and Madeline had taught her well. "Thank you, Rosemary Medici." Josephine swallowed her smile at the woman's surprise. Madeline had taught her well in deed! She was not going to let this woman think she could be intimidated nor would she allow this woman to control her. Josephine decided she might as well establish the ground rules first. "I know all about you, Rosemary. I know about this organization, as well as the leaders of it and the parameters of the organization. I understand the rules, but I will not be one more of your lapdogs. Nothing you can do will break me, nothing. If you want particulars on what the Section has tried- and failed- call Madeline. My spirit, my free will, my soul are my own. I will do your missions, I will follow orders as best I can, but you will never own me."

Rosemary nodded with a smile. Operations had been right. This one was good. But Rosemary was not going to let an operative best her. "That is where you are wrong. There is a way to break you." And she pointed to the screen on the wall. Michael appeared on the screen- he was restrained.

Josephine laughed. "You should know Operations tried this. It backfired on him and it will backfire on you, Rosemary. Michael was my mentor and trainer as well as my friend, but he taught me well. The ends do justify the means. He is a friend, but then again so was Sean and Mary, not to mention Karen. I canceled her myself, Rosemary. Life goes on." With that said, she exited the office, not waiting for a dismissal.

"Woman, that will get you killed!" A man whispered the warning to her as she passed the computer terminals.

Josephine stopped and smiled. "I am Josephine. Who are you?"

"Remmie. I am the computer nerd here, sweets. And I would be happy to do your bidding anytime you want!

"Whiz, Remmie, never nerd. Computer whiz." She smiled and kissed his cheek. A Walter at computers, she shook her head with a smile. She wondered if she find a Birkoff at weapons. She turned to find out.

"Josephine, what would you like?"

"Hmm. Surprise me. You are?" Josephine shrugged.

"The weapon's specialist." the man answered, handing her one of his special toys.

"Thanks." And she took the weapon and walked to the firing range. She smiled when her back was to him. A little modification and it was one of her favorite toys that Walter had designed specifically for her.

"Not bad." The weapon's man nodded as she finished.

"You need to fix the laser scope. It's off." Josephine smiled as she handed the weapon back to him.

The man glared at her, then went to try it. He came back nodding. Grudgingly, he told her, "You are good. I am Bailey."

Josephine smiled, kissed his cheek, and left.

He stared at her as she walked away. She'll give us some excitement. Not to mention piss Rosemary off!

She was exhausted- emotionally. Physically, she could handle anything Rosemary wanted to throw at her. She wasn't too worried about being tested- where Michael was concerned, Operations and Madeline had come up with every scenario to throw at them. In the end, she had been the one to call a halt to the tests by simply stoicly shooting Michael and demanding a transfer.

That had been five years ago. Five long years of burying the memories, the feelings, the worry and concern. Five years of cutting herself off from feeling any emotions. Five years of denying her heart along with her soul, of which she was no longer sure if either had survived.

She knew that all that mattered to her at the moment was completing the mission. It no longer mattered if she lived or died, as long as this one assignment was completed. And she knew that no matter the cost to herself, she would complete it. One way or another, Michael would be freed.

"Michael, you have a visitor." Rosemary laughed harshly.

Michael slowly turned to see who was with the sadistic woman. He was surprised when he saw who it was. "Nikita?" He tried to whisper but all that came out was a croak. His throat was so dry, only guttural sounds came out.

Josephine forced a smile. She hadn't thought that name in five years. When she left Michael and everything behind, she had left that name as well. It was a tie to a past she couldn't return to. Madeline had nodded her understanding when she had requested a new codename, taking Josephine for her own.

"Yes, Michael." She whispered softly, clearly seeing the pain and confusion in his eyes. God! His eyes! The very same ones that never told her when he was lying. The eyes that had blocked him from her, keeping her at bay. As for never allowing emotions to be felt any more, she felt such rage that if Michael's life didn't depend on her success, she would have killed Rosemary then and there, damning the consequences.

Rosemary watched the meeting. She gave Josephine her due- she was good. If she was outraged, there was no visible signs of it. Rosemary also acknowledged a slight twinge of unease. Something would go drastically wrong.

Josephone's first four assignments were absolute successes without any fatal casualties. Her team members respected her and appreciated her ability to bring them all back alive and usually not seriously wounded.

It was her fifth mission, the one that marked two months with Rosemary, that there were problems- major problems. She and her team were to interfere with a Section One mission. They were to take out as many agents as possible. Josephine wasn't too worried- until one of her teams took the van- the van with Birkoff in it.

"What do you mean he got away?" Rosemary demanded.

"There was another van on the way. He got away. They knew we would hit. They knew how long we would be in the areas. He had the timing figured out so as to miss two patrols." Josephine calmly reported. She brushed at a piece of grass on her pants.

Her lack of attention earned her a backhand from Rosemary- one she had anticipated. She blocked the slap as she jammed a knife into Rosemary's throat. "I told you before. I am not one of your lapdogs, try that again and you'll remember never to do it again." Josephine hissed.

Rosemary blinked then nodded. She was surprised at Josephine's speed and skill- not to mention her utter disregard for her own life.

Josephine smiled cruelly. Two more days and this was over. She could kill Rosemary and not have to worry about a thing. She could finally free Michael.

"Michael is comatose." Rosemary tried for another punch- an emotional one.

Josephine nodded, never breaking stride as she walked out of the office. There was no room to check on him- no time. The final countdown had started and there was nothing that could stop it.

"Jo, there is a transmission coming to the van. I can decode it and bring it up here for you." Remmie stopped her as she walked by his workstation.

"Go for it, sweets." Josephine smiled. She froze at the message then chuckled. "Seems Birky had a girlfriend."

Sugar, we were supposed to meet at 07:25. I need to see you sooner. Lets meet at 06:25. Ice.

Josephine saw the words in her mind even as she sparred with a fellow operative. She shook her head to clear it then went for the kill' shot. "That's enough. Thanks for sparring with me." She smiled, grabbed her towel and walked out of the training area. Maybe a little target practice, she thought and headed for Bailey's station.

"Uh-uh" Bailey shook his head. "You ain't getting near my stuff in your state of mind!" He refused.

Josephine smiled and nodded. "I need to find out where Michael is." She stated softly.

Bailey looked her over. She hadn't shown any feelings for the man in two months. He saw the pain in her eyes, though, and nodded. "He's in sickbay. Room 13. Heavily guarded and drugged."

She looked from Bailey over to Remmie and took a split second to decide to trust them. "I want you and Remmie to meet me at the Coffee shop on Higgins in four hours. Be careful and tell Remmie to come with bug spray. You might need a few arms yourself."

"What is it, Jo?" Bailey asked as they sat down at her table.

Josephine shook her head and pointed to Remmie.

He nodded and took out his bug spray'- rather a jammer as well as a locator. Satisfied that they were secure, he nodded at Josephine.

"I work for Section One." She stated.

"We all know you came from there." Bailey nodded.

"No. I work for Section One. I have spent the last two months taking down Rosemary's organization. I was sent in to get Michael out and take Rosemary down. All operatives caught would be canceled by the invading team. I won't say how or when, only that it will be soon. First, though, I need to get Michael out." Josephine explained.

Bailey's eyes turned huge. "What about us?"

"You two will return with me to Section or you will go free- but only after Michael is safe. I need your help to get him out." Josephine shrugged. "It is your choice. I will not cancel you."

Remmie nodded. "I presume you have a plan to get him out?"

Josephine looked over at Bailey, waiting for his nod before she continued. "I do. I need to kill him."

Bailey jumped up, ready to voice his outrage when a look from Remmie had him sitting back down and swallowing his words.

"I will not actually kill him, Bailey. He is my heart." Josephine smiled. "First things first. My name is Nikita. Josephine is my codename."

Remmie stared at her. "Section One's Nikita was canceled years ago. She returned to Section of her own will but soon demanded a transfer to another substation- after working at headquarters for over a year."

"Her name was changed to Josephine and her codename became Mikaela." Josephine- Nikita took up the story. "This is how I will get Michael out. . ."

She wasn't prepared for the sight of Michael. Reading his chart, she saw he wasn't heavily drugged- he was heavily medicated. His body had dropped into a deep coma two days before. His body was weak from three moths of straight torture. His body showed the signs of giving up. Josephine- Nikita- swore. She had warned Madeline three months was too long a wait. She had warned her that Michael no longer had the endurance for that kind of experience and survive.

"I should have done this sooner. I am sorry, my light. I am sorry." Nikita- Josephine- whispered before she gently brushed a kiss over his lips. A teardrop fell, landing on his cheek. "There is so much I have to tell you, mi amour, so much yet so little time. Be strong. Please, Michael, don't give up yet." She begged softly before she took a deep breath. Closing her eyes, she pulled the wires off of and out of him and lifted him to her shoulder.

"So I wasn't wrong, you do love him." Rosemary smiled sinisterly from the doorway.

Nikita smiled. "Always have, but Section One took away my ability to show it. For five years I forgot about him, forgot about my heart and soul. There was no room to remember. In order to survive, I gave it all up." Then she fired.

Nikita stepped over the lifeless body and continued on. She had to meet Remmie and Bailey at her office. The invasion had already started.

Operations nodded. "Good work, Josephine. These two, can we trust them?" He turned to look at Remmie and Bailey. Both were heavily guarded standing in the heart of Section One.

She smiled. "Yes, Operations, they can be trusted- if you don't mind having a Birkoff in Walter's area and a Walter in Birkoff's area." She headed for the door but stopped when she arrived at it to turn and face the man again. "And, Operations, Nikita has returned, if you'll have her."

Operations nodded. "Your mission for the next couple of weeks is to return Michael to us. Then you can either return to your Australia substation as the leader, or remain here as a team leader and trainer. It is your choice."

She was surprised and allowed it to show. "You know my answer, Operations. I am beginning to see that you always knew what I would do."

Operations smiled. When she was gone he put a call into the Australia substation telling them that Carl would be the next leader there and Mikaela was dead.

"She is home, Madeline." Operations told Madeline as they watched Nikita gaze down at Michael's battered body.

"She was right. I waited too long." Madeline shook her head and turned off the screen and faced Operations. "When we called for her, I knew that she would not be returning to Australia. I just wasn't sure if she would return to us either. Her eyes, when I told her of Michael's torture, they told me that she would die in order to return him. I was worried it would come to that." She admitted.

Operations squeezed her shoulder. "None of us knew, Madeline, if she would return. She will stay, even if he does not pull through. She will take his place, she understands that, accepts that. I wonder if she will truly take his place- will she become him?"

Madeline smiled. He had been the only one sure she would come back here and now he was worried if she would lose herself to return. "She will always be Nikita, Operations, you know that, you planned on that even with all of the tests to change her, you knew it would never happen. Don't doubt her now."

"Sugar, he will make it." Walter came to stand beside her.

"I know. I know, Walter." Nikita sighed.

"And so will you." Birkoff stood on the other side of her. "Both of you will survive. It won't be like before, but you will find a way."

Nikita smiled. "Oh have I missed you both over the years." She wiped away tears as she turned to hug each of them. "How do you like my new friends? Are you all getting along?"

Walter chuckled. "Bailey is good. Too stiff, but his mind is sharp. He just needs a little more creativity. I'll work with him, he'll get it down."

Birkoff nodded. "Remmie is a genius! He's teaching me a few things."

Walter and Nikita laughed.

"Come in, guys." Nikita stated and Remmie and Bailey both entered the small Medlab room.

"He's survived so much, Jo- Nikita, he'll survive this as well." Bailey whispered.

"He's strong. I never knew anyone with such a determination to survive." Remmie patted her shoulder.

"Yes, he is strong. The doctors give him a very good chance of full recovery, Nikita." Madeline announced from the doorway. "Operations told me you would be returning to us. I am glad."

Walter smiled. Birkoff choked. Madeline glad? And admitting it?

"I would like to see the four of you in my office." Madeline smiled, moving aside to open the doorway.

Michael wasn't sure where he was any longer. He heard voices. Voices asking him- no, begging him to come back, to open his eyes. He thought they were Nikita's voice but that, his mind was telling him, was impossible. She hadn't been at Section One in many years- five to be exact. He vaguely remembered seeing her with Rosemary one day a long time ago but he had never seen her again so his mind wrote it off as a hallucination.

He heard the voice whisper something else- return my dark angel or something close to it. Nikita had called him that once. Could she really be there? Could she have returned? He felt that familiar peace he had always felt when she was there before- that light from her that would always push back the darkness of his soul, that goodness that would quell the raging pain in his heart.

He had to know if it was real or if his mind and body were playing tricks on him.

He opened his eyes.

Nikita gave him a trembling smile as the tears rained down her cheeks. She bent down to him to kiss his cheek, whispering, "Thank you, God."

His first sight was of her- an angel. There was nothing else in his view but her, her tears, her smile, her warmth, Nikita.

When he tried to speak, she hushed him with a kiss. "Sshh, Michael. I am home, there will be time later to talk. You must rest and regain your strength. I am sorry, so sorry, I didn't get you out earlier. I will tell you all about it, Michael, if you promise not to talk. Now is my turn."

It was her eyes, he would recall later, that spoke to him, making him nod in agreement with her request. He had never seen them so filled with regret, sorrow, and unchecked pain. Not even when he had lied to her with Red Cell or even when he refused to acknowledge their one night of heaven had her eyes expressed such hurt.

He fell asleep to the music of her voice. And he awoke later to the sight of her beside his bed, sleeping. Her hand had kept its tight grip on his, as if she was afraid he would slip away if she were to let go. He smiled.

"All right!" Nikita shouted, giving in to him yet again.

Michael laughed. "You give in too easily, Nikita."

She glared at him. "That's unfair, Michael, and you know it!" She shook her head. Lately he had taken to abusing her guilt. She didn't like it. Then she stifled a smile. She was having an idea- a nice and sinister idea to get back at him.

"You're the one who keeps telling me how it is your fault!" Michael laughed, missing the devilish look in her eyes. He was too busy wheeling ahead of her to get out of the Section.

"It's a beautiful spot, Michael." Nikita stated softly. Indeed it was with the brook rolling through and a huge weeping willow creating a barrier from the rest of the world. She sighed. There was something she had to tell him. "Michael." She called softly to get his attention.

Michael heard the seriousness in her voice and turned himself to face her. "What is it, Nikita?"

"I want to tell you why." Nikita sighed and focused on the running water for a minute, gathering her strength before facing him again. "I want to tell you why I shot you and demanded a transfer five and a half years ago, Michael."

Michael nodded. He wanted to know but, like her, hadn't wanted to bring the topic up.

"I hated what they were doing to us. They were pulling us apart. I admit I wasn't as strong as I should have been. I let Jergun pull me away from you. I let the tests get to me. I let Operations win. It wasn't because I cared for you any less. I saw the misstep in your missions. I saw the hesitation, the anger and emotions you couldn't quite hide. I also saw the resentment you felt because your core of steel was bending under pressure. I didn't want to be the one to break you. I didn't want to see the hesitation in your step. I didn't want to cause the escape of emotions you has so easily had stopped before. You were a Section operative who couldn't survive with emotions. And I was a Section operative who couldn't survive without emotions, one who loved you, and knew that she couldn't drag you down with her any longer. I needed to learn to survive on my own, Michael. You protected me and I needed to know that I could get by in Section without your help. There was no way that would be possible in Section One so I had to transfer.

"I survived, Michael. Over the years I lost myself, though. I missed Birkoff and Walter, you and even Madeline and Operations. When I left Section One headquarters, I left behind all emotions, my heart, and my soul. Oh, I still bucked some rules and showed compassion, but I was Josephine, codename Mikaela. I was no longer Nikita. I couldn't be Nikita for she remained here with you." She told him quietly.

Michael watched her quietly, his eyes, once again were shuttered, keeping him from her.

His silence and watchful eyes sent a shiver of fear down her spine but she continued to look into his eyes. She refused to back down. Whatever he said, whatever he did, she would get through it because there was nothing else for her to do. She would not like it, but she would do it.

Michael suddenly smiled. "You have changed, Nikita. Your emotions are guarded, not obviously written on your face. Your heart and soul remain, though. You say you left your emotions and heart and soul here when you left, but you also say that you helped others. Your soul was with you all the time or you wouldn't have cared about others. I survived knowing you were happy and alive in your new substation. I survived because there was nothing else for me to do. Jergun left as well. He died on a mission last year.

"Your light is still as bright as when we had our only night. It was the memory of you that banished the darkness for me and it was the memory of your love that quelled the pain I could never escape in my heart. And it was your presence, your voice, that brought me back not so long ago. Why did you come back, Nikita?" Michael asked suddenly.

Nikita smiled. "Because Operations and Madeline asked me to come back and get you out. And it was time to return. I have survived but now I need my friends. It has been long enough. Because even as I banished the memory of you from my mind, I could never banish you from my heart."

They smiled softly at each other and listened to the quiet sounds of the brook for a while. Their hands were linked, tying them together as their memories came back to them.

Operations smiled as he watched, from his perch above, Michael allow Nikita to push him to his office. The best team he had ever put together. And they were finally back together. No one will know what hit them with the two of them together again.

"Nikita, this isn't the way to my office." Michael looked around warily. Medlab was down this hall.

"I know. You said you were feeling a little weak again. I was talking to Madeline earlier. She stressed the importance of your strength. She told me that any sign of weakness could be a sign that one of the drugs could have a side effect and that it shouldn't be taken lightly. Medlab needs to check you out. I wouldn't want you to suffer, dearheart." Nikita told him, concern softening her words.

Michael was about to protest when a doctor meet them at the entrance to an examination room.

"Doctor, here he is. Oh, and, doc, if he gives you any trouble, sedate him. The drugs are a serious concern." Nikita advised the doctor before bending down and kissing Michael's cheek. Straightening, she warned Michael, "Behave, Michael, or I will see to that you remain in Medlab for three days and then Section quarters for two weeks."

Michael scowled at her. "You wouldn't."

"Oh, but, Michael, I would and I have the authority to do it. Your recovery is my mission. Operations gave it to me when I brought you back." She smiled sweetly before leaving.

"That was cruel, Nikita." Walter smiled. He, Remmie, Birkoff, and Bailey were in the cafeteria talking. They had heard about Nikita dumping Michael in Medlab an hour ago.

"It was." Nikita nodded, agreeing. Then she smiled. "But it should do the trick. He thinks he manipulate me with guilt. Ha!"

The table burst into laughter.

"I would have paid to see his face when he realized you were wheeling him to Medlab!" Birkoff announced.

"We could always check the cameras." Remmie brought up.

The four of them looked at each other and quickly got up. "We'll catch you later, Nikita!" Walter laughed as they hurried to the computer station.

Nikita shook her head with a smile.

"Where did they go in such a hurry?" Michael's voice came from behind her.

She turned, her eyes were still laughing. "Gave you a clean bill of health, I see. No latent side effects from any drugs."

Michael glared at her. "No. Not a single trace of any drug left in my system."

Nikita couldn't help it. She broke up laughing. "You deserved it, Michael. You pushed me too far with the guilt crap. I had to retaliate." She spoke her defense. "Ready to go home? The doctors say that you can go home as long as someone stays with you for a few days then you are on your own." Nikita smiled, giving him the good news.

"I was ready last week." Michael declared.

Boy, did Section One love the pictures circulating the headquarters- Michael was furious when he saw them the next morning. Walter, Bailey, Birkoff, and Remmie shared a smile with Nikita. It was good to be back, she decided.

The End