Sparring Session

Debriefing was not going well. In fact, it was turning into a fiasco.

"What do you mean you decided to move in earlier than ordered Nikita! Didn't you get precise instructions from Michael on this?"

Operations glared at the sullen operative. The other members of the team sitting on either side of her shifted uneasily in their seats and tried not to catch Operation's eye. Michael sat as far away from her as he could get at the briefing table staring straight ahead, no expression on his face.

"I saw incoming hostiles on the other side. If I'd waited any longer, it would have been a bloodbath."

"It was not Your decision to make Nikita! Those so-called innocents that you were trying to keep from getting killed were processing heroin! Or didn't you bother to read your mission profile? The DEA has been trying to shut that lab down for months and your misguided efforts damn near got the whole team killed!"

That was only the start of his diatribe. Nikita's face was beet red by the time he got done chewing her out. She could feel the other operatives cringing in sympathy. Her temper wasn't improved any by the fact that Operations was right. She Had screwed up. Her sense of competition with Michael had made her careless. What made her even madder was the sense of surpressed satisfaction that she could feel emanating from him. She'd been trying to establish herself as an independent person and something like this really pissed her off. At this point Madeline and Operations would never let her lead a team of her own.

Finally it was over. Madeline and Operations watched as the operatives filed out of the room, Nikita and Michael staying as far away from each other as possible.

"What are we going to do with those two Madeline? I'm getting more than a bit tired of this competition between them. They're trying to one up each other constantly and it's getting to the point that no one wants to be on their team. They're all afraid that Nikita and Michael will get them killed."

For once, Operations wasn't thinking of cancellations. Nikita and Michael were among his best operatives but the conflict was getting out of hand.

"I believe that this all stems from her reprogramming by Jurgen. He showed her that it was possible to think independently of Michael and he's having a hard time accepting this."

Madeline still hadn't informed Operations of all of the exact details of Jurgen's reprogramming. As far as he was concerned, Jurgen had struck strictly to business and he had no idea things had gone as far as they had between Nikita and Jurgen. The only reason she knew any differently was because she had witnessed the ugly confrontation between Nikita and Michael when he had found out that she'd slept with Jurgen in an effort to control and neutralize him.

Nikita and Michael still didn't know that she knew about it. She'd been making her rounds in a remote corner of Section when they'd had it out. They'd been so focused on each other that they hadn't realized she was around the corner. The memory of some of the things they'd said to each other still made her wince. She'd never seen Michael that angry. Madeline had known there was something between them but this had been an eye opener in more ways than one. If Operations ever found out that Michael had been the one to set Nikita free and that they'd been lovers before her return, he'd cancel them both.

"Let me talk to them. I'll see if there's anything that I can do to resolve the situation."

"You'd better succeed Madeline. Or else someone is getting reassigned!"

************

Madeline walked off towards her office deep in thought. Something had to be done soon or those two were either going to kill each other or get someone else killed. The tension between them could be cut with a knife. However, she'd noticed them watching each other when they thought the other wasn't looking and thought she could see glimmers of something else under all the anger.

Looking down at the command center floor, she noticed Walter at his station looking at a piece of equipment.

Picking up the phone, she called him.

"Walter, could you come to my office please?"

Walter thought to himself *oh great, the Ice Queen calls. Wonder what she wants now* and made his way to her office.

"You wanted to see me Madeline?"

"Yes, please sit down. I've got a situation here that I need your input on."

He sat and watched as she pulled up a file on her computer. *What was she up to?*

"These are the results of the missions that Michael and Nikita have been involved in since she was reprogrammed. There has been a decided drop in efficiency on them and that's why I've called you in here. Is there anything you care to share with me about what's going on? I've noticed that she seems to talk to you."

Walter looked at her warily, not wanting to give her any incriminating information. He had a pretty good idea as to what was going on with Nikita and Michael but, he didn't want to get them into any more trouble than he figured they were already in. He'd watched the whole situation with Jurgen unfold in front of him and has his own suspicions as to exactly how Nikita had spent her six months of "captivity" He'd felt like confronting her about it but decided that it was probably better not to know for sure.

The only thing he was sure of was that Michael had had something to do with her return. He'd been on the way to visit her the day after her return and had seen them through the door of Medlab. The intimacy of their body language had been unmistakable. The look on Michael's face and the way she had caressed his chin had been a dead giveaway. He'd thought about warning her to be careful, that Section would cancel them both if they realized they were involved in a relationship, but hadn't been able to burst her bubble. Walter had watched them circle each other for three years and had seen their bond develop from mentor/recruit to man/woman. At times, he'd been tempted to laugh as they had both driven each other up the wall with their respective flirtations.

"it's allright Walter. I know they're involved with each other."

Dumbfounded, he could only stare at her. Madeline smiled at the look on his face.

"After the business with Jurgen, they had a fight and didn't realize that I overheard them. It got pretty ugly. Did you know that she and Michael were lovers before she returned? And that in an effort to sway Jurgen's evaluation, she decided to sleep with him and control him that way?"

Walter could only shake his head. *aaahhh sugar. What have you done...no wonder Michael's so angry with you...he's Mr. Possesive himself..... and to fight in Section!!!*

Madeline continued. "I didn't say anything to Operations as I feel that a bond between operatives is not always such a bad thing. They performed very well together until all this happened and I'm pretty sure that Michael was the one who let her go a year ago. His performance while she was gone only reinforced my opinion that there was something between them."

Walter looked at her. *Could he trust Madeline?* He hesitated and decided to go with his gut instinct. If she had wanted to use the information to destroy them, she would have done so six months before.

"I don't know what to do with them Madeline. They're tearing each other apart with all this anger and they're both miserable. She walks around with an attitude and he jumps all over her case if he has an excuse for anything. I used to think that maybe she was right to be mad at him for trying to control her all the time but, now she's deliberately flaunting her independence in front of him and he's turning into even more of a control freak. I know he only wanted to protect her before but he needs to realize she's a full op now and needs some kind of autonomy.

He laughed grimly. "some days I'd like to lock them in a closet until they settle things for once and for all."

Madeline gazed at him as though thunderstruck.

"You know? That's a very good idea. Operations wants something done about this and done now. Or he's going to have one of them reassigned to another station. And I don't think that's going to solve anything. They need to work this out."

"Tell me, do you think they still care for each other under all the anger?"

Walter thought for a moment. "Well, they watch each other all the time when they think the other isn't looking and she makes a point of talking to some of the male ops in front of him. So, he retaliates by flirting with the female recruits. And you know how they all worship him! If it wasn't so serious, I'd laugh at the two of them. Talk about high school games! I never thought I'd see Michael act like this, he's really got it bad for her and she's the same way."

Madeline smiled, not her usual enigmatic half smile, but a genuine one that lit up her face.

"Yes, he always has been rather possesive of her hasn't he? I saw the way he looked at her when she was brought into Section and that was why I let him train her. He needed someone to distract him from Simone. And, she's always been drawn to him. I realized how much when he had to work with Lisa Fanning last year."

"Now...let's see. Can you help me out with this?...I have an idea..." and she proceeded to outline it. Walter looked at her with admiration. She was really something...talk about Machiavelli in a dress.

************

Nikita strode down the hall, anxious to get as far away from the debriefing session and Operations as she could. She passed a couple of operatives who'd been there and saw them glance at her and then turn and whisper to each other.

*Oh great! I can imagine how fast this is going to spread around the Section gossip mill.*

It was a running joke around Section that even the CIA couldn't compare in terms of rumor mongering and gossip speed. The fact that yhis whole mess involved Operations fair haired boy and his on again/off again protege just added spice to the brouhaha. The e-mail system in Section was going to be running on overload with this one.

It hadn't escaped Nikita's notice either that the whole place seemed to be watching the progress of her and Michael's current war. She could swear that she'd heard someone say something about 20 to 1 odds that they'd be at each other's throats until Christmas when she walked by them in the cafeteria. Even Birkhoff was acting oddly around her. She'd walked up to his station unexpectedly one day to find him working on a lottery pool. He'd hastily turned the screen off but not before she'd seen various odds posted as to what was going to happen next.

It seemed that Operations was the only person in the place who Didn't know what was going on.

Michael was walking swiftly down the hallway ahead of her, seemingly as anxious as herself to get out of Operations's vicinity. Her only consolation about the briefing was that he'd gotten his butt chewed out too for not keeping tighter control of his team. The fact that Operations did it in front of everyone seemed to indicate just how pissed off he was. Normally, he took Michael aside to chew him out.

She almost felt sorry for him for a moment but that passed and she grinned to herself about it. *hey, if I get chewed out, so should he* conveniently forgetting that if it hadn't been for Her actions, it wouldn't have happened.

Michael's rigid posture as he moved indicated just how angry he was at the moment. He hadn't had a chance to change from his mission gear before debriefing and his tight black tee shirt and pants clung to him. As he passed a couple of female operatives, she could see them turn around and give an admiring look at his ass and giggle to each other. They saw her coming and stopped giggling, looking carefully in the other direction as she passed. She almost stopped to ask them what the hell they were looking at and thought better of it.

For a second she smiled to herself. *if only they knew what was under those clothes, they'd do more than giggle* Remembering the feel of his body under her hands and mouth, she felt a shiver run down her spine. All smooth skin and hard muscle with the most talented hands she'd ever known.....

Annoyed with herself for remembering that, she decided to shower and change. Even in the shower, she couldn't escape Michael. Running the soap over her body, she had a mental picture of them in the small shower cubicle on the boat. His gentle hands soaping her all over and then turning urgent as he took her standing up pressed against the wall. They'd run out of hot water but even the cold water hadn't cooled them down...

*aaarrrrgghhh!!! Stop this Nikita!!* She turned the cold water on full blast. However all that accomplished was to freeze her ass off and leave her even more het up and jumpy. *I need to get a life, this is ridiculous! Either that or I need to get thoroughly laid! That'll get him out of my mind!!*

Michael meanwhile was having problems of his own. As he walked towards his office, his mind whirled. *what the hell was Nikita thinking of today! She damn near blew the whole mission! And I'm sick of having to fix her mistakes, she almost got us all killed!* Having Operations chew him out had been the topper of it all. It had taken all of his self-control not to yell back at him.

As he passed Birkhoff's station, he could see him and Simon going over some information. He paused for a moment.

"Birkhoff!"

"What is it Michael? We're going over today's results."

"That's what I want to talk to you about." he moved away from Birkhoff's station so that Simon couldn't overhear their conversation.

"Did you communicate with Nikita today about moving in early?"

"No, all I told her was that there were incoming on the other side of the compound and to hold her position, that you would handle it. Did I do wrong?" Birkhoff frowned at him.

"No, you didn't," Michael shook his head and sighed."this just means that she decided to do this on her own. What the hell possessed her to do that, I don't know."

Birkhoff watched as he walked away to his office. Some days he felt sorry for Michael. It wasn't easy being top op at the best of times and these were definitely not them. He didn't know the exact details of what had happened with him and Nikita after her return to Section but whatever it was had been major. He could swear that they'd been very close at first upon her return but after her reprogramming, there'd been a real shift. Michael had turned into Mr. Freeze as far as she was concerned, only talking to her when he had to about a mission or getting in her face about mistakes she'd made. Birkhoff had never seen him like this with her, even when she'd been a raw recruit and screwing up, he'd never been this harsh.

Nikita hadn't talked about what had happened with Birkhoff. All he knew was that it had something to do with the mission that resulted in Jergen's cancellation. He didn't dare ask her with the mood she was in these days, he was afraid she'd visit his quarters again, gun in hand and this time she'd use it.

Michael sat in his office, staring moodily at his laptop. The results of the last few missions had a clear trend to them and it screamed trouble to him. He was sure Madeline and Operations could see the trend too and that they weren''t going to tolerate it much longer.

He leaned his head forward, rubbing his eyes and temples. His tension headache just wouldn't quit. This stress was slowly driving him crazy. Maybe a shower and change of clothing would help. Picking up a change of clothes from the closet in the corner of his office, he headed for the locker room.

Standing under the steaming water a few minutes later, he started to relax a little. Rotating his weary shoulders, he massaged his scalp vigorously with shampoo, working his fingers into the knots at the base of his skull and closing his eyes. For a moment, he remembered Nikita doing the same thing to him in her small shower stall on the boat, easing his tense muscles but arousing him at the same time until he'd reached for her and made love to her again.

Even after seven months, he remembered the feel of her body under his as if it were yesterday. The silky smoothness of her skin and her gasp as he took her the first time with no finesse whatsoever. He'd been so desperate when he'd seen her on the boat that he'd lost whatever control he'd had. It had been a body poem, all his dreams of this had paled in comparison to the reality of it. That was why her betrayal with Jurgen had hurt so much. Even though he had found out afterwards that it had been a carefully calculated plot to sway Jurgen, the pain of the moment when he'd seen them together still lingered.

*aahh..stop it Michael...that' s over and done with. You have to work past this....* He reached for the cold shower knob and turned it on full blast. That should do the trick and calm down his unruly body.

************

Sparring Session Part 4--Very Definitely NC-17. Don't read this one if you're under 18, I don't want any irate parents lookinng for me.

Lost in her thoughts, Nikita wrapped a towel around herself and walked out of the women's shower area, rubbing her hair with another towel as she did. Momentarily blinded by it, she felt herself collide with a solid body. *damn, I wish they'd redesign this place so we wouldn't have to share a common hallway with the men* Stumbling, she reached out to keep her balance and felt a smooth chest under her hands, banging her head against his chin. Two strong hands came up and gripped her shoulders, trying to hold her steady.

"oops, I'm sorry...."

She managed to get her balance and shoved the towel out of her face. Smiling, she looked up and found Michael's face about 3 inches away. He had obviously just gotten out of the shower too, with his hair all damp and standing on end, water trickling down his neck, towel wrapped around his waist. He simply stood there, staring into her face, green eyes darkening, mouth parting slightly. Her hands reflexively tightened into fists against his chest, nails scraping as she did so. He shuddered for a second, closing his eyes, hands tightening on her shoulders.

And then he moved.

Gripping her upper arms, he pushed her up against the wall and covering her body with his, kissed her openmouthed with a force and sensuality that left her reeling, mouth moving hungrily on hers as he pulled her hips to his. Her arms wrapped around his shoulders as she returned the kiss in equal measure. They clung together, completely oblivious to anyone who might wander by. Nikita felt her blood pressure skyrocket, bones seeming to melt. Judging by his harsh breathing, Michael felt the same. He leaned into her, hands sliding up under her towel to run up her thighs and grip her butt, tilting her pelvis against him as he rubbed himself against her. She moaned into his mouth, rotating herself against him, reaching for his towel.

Just then Birkhoff came around the corner looking for Michael, stopping abruptly as he took in the scene in front of him. *yeeoowww!!!, look at them!!* hastily retreating around the corner. Grinning to himself, he decided to stand guard to prevent any interruptions. *Man, am I going to make some money on this one!!*

"No...wait..."Michael pulled back.

"No...please..." Nikita reached to pull him to her again.

Michael glanced around with glazed eyes, so aroused he couldn't even focus and then pulled her into the women's shower with him. They wound up against the wall under a shower head, hands all over each other, Nikita pulling at his towel, gasping in pleasure as he did the same and their bare bodies came together. He managed to turn on the shower head and groaned as the warm water washed over them, making their bodies slide together with an even more delicious friction.

Michael kissed his way down her throat and took a hard nipple in his mouth, her moan of pleasure sighing against him as she reached for him and fondled him, hands sliding greedily up and down his shaft. His shaking hands reached down and caressed her, feeling her warmth and wetness on his fingers as he tested her readiness for him. He grasped her butt and lifted her, her legs wrapping around his waist as he backed her against the wall, rubbing himself against her. She moaned in her throat, head falling back as he poised himself at her entrance.

"Look at me..." he gasped, barely able to maintain any control.

She shuddered and complied, locking eyes with him, blue eyes meeting green, as they held each other's look. Then he shoved forward, sheathing himself to the hilt at he kissed her again and started to move, the movement of his tongue in her mouth mimicking the thrust of his hips into hers. They moved frantically together, bodies slapping against each other as they strove for satisfaction, her hands clawing at his back and ass seeking to pull him even deeper into her. Michael rode her fast and hard, biting at her throat and shoulders as he did so, gasping with the feel of her body around his, driving himself into her. She came first, the falling water muffling her scream as she went rigid in his arms, inner muscles clenching at him and milking him in her spasms. He went over the edge right after her, driving into her one last time and gasping her name as he buried his face in her neck, body shaking with the force of it.

They slid slowly down the wall, water falling over their linked bodies as Michael fell to his knees, her legs still wrapped around his waist. They clung together, dazed by the intensity and unexpectedness of it all. Finally he moved. Lifting his face from her neck, he looked into her dazed eyes, his still blurry from it all.

"Nikita..I.."

Out in the hallway, Birkhoff looked at his watch, figuring that they'd been in there long enough.

"Michael? Are you in there?" he called, making it seem like he had just come by.

Michael closed his eyes and groaned. *talk about bad timing!*

"In a minute, I'm in the shower. What do you want?"

"Madeline wants to see you in her office. Pronto."

"Tell her I'll be there as soon as I can."

Birkhoff hesitated for a moment. "Have you seen Nikita? Madeline wants to see her too."

Michael felt Nikita stiffen against him and sighed. "No, I haven't. I'll tell her if I see her first."

They listened to Birkhoff move away as they leaned against each other and the wall. Finally Michael reached up and turned the water off. Nikita kept her face turned down and away from him, suddenly feeling acutely embarrassed at their position. He ran a gentle hand up her back and then turned her face back to him, resting his forehead against hers.

"Nikita..I.."

"Don't you dare say you're sorry Michael! I'll kill you if you do!!"

For a moment, he almost laughed at the ridiculousness of it, his body still embedded in hers, her body still wrapped around his. His shoulders shook for a moment and then he eased himself from her, climbing slowly to his feet and pulling her with him.

"No, what I started to say was that we needed to talk...but now Madeline wants to see us and soon. So it'll have to wait."

Her eyes flashed and she hurled her wet towel at him.

"Isn't that what you always say Michael??" she turned and stalked out of the shower room, magnificent in her nudity and temper, not caring if anyone was around.

He followed slowly. *god, what was he going to do now!*

************

Nikita sat in a corner in the women's locker room, contemplating the meaning of life. Or should she say, sex in Section. She'd made it back down the hallway and collapsed on a bench, still in shock over what had transpired between her and Michael.

*Let that be a lesson to me,* she thought, *the next time I say to myself that I need to get laid, I'd better check to see if the big guy upstairs is listening.* She almost laughed, to say that her knees were still shaking in reaction was putting it mildly. *god, I must have been out of my mind, I can't believe I did that!*

She sat there for a bit longer to let her body cool down and then rose and started to dress. She almost went back into the shower to rinse off but didn't dare, afraid of running into Michael again. Nikita definitely wasn't ready to face him yet, her mood was a mixture of mortification at her actions and sheer triumph. *talk about spontaneous combustion, he can't pretend he's indifferent anymore. I can't believe I was so easy, all he had to do was touch me and I went up in flames.* The scent of him still clung to her body, a mixture of musk and Michael, a scent that was uniquely his. She closed her eyes and sighed. Somehow she knew she'd never mistake him for anyone else in the dark ever again.

The door opened and a couple of new female operatives came into the room, laughing at each other. They didn't see her over in the corner.

"Don't you lie to me Jeanette. I saw you drooling at him."

"Hah, the only reason you saw me drooling was because you were falling all over Your tongue Christina!"

"What I wouldn't give for one night with Him. Man, he must be good, the way he moves."

The other operative replied. "I still say it's a tossup as to whether he or Ted has the best ass in Section. What I wouldn't like to do to either of them in a dark corner sometime."

They were still coming towards Nikita, unaware of her presence.

"Yeah, well forget about Michael. Our number one boy is securely tied up already. And you don't want to mess with Nikita. She'd take your head off for messing with Her property."

They rounded the corner of the row of lockers and came face to face with Nikita who was just standing there, half amused and half aggravated by the last comment. The looks on their faces were priceless. Kind of an *oh s---, we're dead* look mixed with *god, I hope she has a sense of humor.*

She just stood there for a moment, hands on hips, watching their apprehensive faces.

"Ladies, ladies. Shame on you. Looking at men's butts. Where are your minds?"

The look of relief on their faces was ludicrous. They looked at each other and she could read their minds *does this mean we don't die on the spot?* Nikita picked up her gear and moved past them. Turning to go, she looked back at them and grinned.

"By the way, they both have nice ones don't they?" leaving them in stunned silence as she walked out the door, snickering to herself as she headed across the main floor. She stopped by Walter's station to chat but he wasn't there, the metal gate down and locked, so she moved on. Her good mood lasted until she heard Birkhoff hail her.

"Nikita!" she walked over to his station where he was munching away as usual.

"Did you see Michael? I asked him to tell you that Madeline wants to see you if I didn't see you first."

Birkhoff tried to be discreet about checking her out, the picture of her and Michael locked together in that embrace was burned into his mind. He could just imagine what had happened, Michael had sounded distinctly breathless when he answered him from the shower room. It hadn't escaped Birkhoff's notice either that he'd answered from the women's side. He was now secretly contemplating the amount of money he now stood to make if he weighted the odds correctly for the lottery pool for these two.

Nikita frowned at him, she'd completely forgotten about having to see Madeline and decided to play ignorant.

"When was this? I haven't seen Michael since the briefing."

Birkhoff decided to play along with her. Obviously she had no idea they'd been seen which was probably a good thing for his health.

"I told him about an hour ago. She wants to see you as soon as possible. Michael's finishing a report and then he'll be there too."

He'd seen Michael walk into his office, looking cool and collected and wondered just how the hell he did it. He was sure it would have been written all over His face if he'd just gotten as thoroughly laid as he suspected Michael had.

"Did she say what she wanted?"

Nikita reached over and grabbed a handful of his Oreos. She was suddenly ravenous. Having a chat with Madeline was never one of her favorite things to do. Those keen eyes saw entirely too much that she didn't want them to see. And right now, she wasn't sure if she was ready to sit there with Michael in front of Maddy when she was still trying to decide how to deal with all her mixed emotions about him. She was sure that what had just happened between them would be written all over her face and that Michael's normal emotionless mask to Maddy would be a hell of a lot better defense than hers.

The subject of all these mixed emotions sat in his office, mind whirling. He appeared his normal, inscrutable self to those passing by his office but felt like a quivering mass of emotion on the inside. *how could I have lost control like that, what am I going to do now.* He was lost in confusion. He thought he'd finally managed to push his need for Nikita back down into the farthest reaches of his heart, feeling safer that way, and now this had brought it all back. He groaned to himself, his hands going to his mouth as he tried to bring himself back under control. That was a bad move on his part, her scent still clung to his hands and his body lurched in response.

The very last thing he wanted to do was have a meeting with Madeline at this point, she saw entirely too much and he felt very vulnerable at this moment. Nikita being there wouldn't help either. Michael had the awful feeling that things were going to be put in motion that he didn't want to deal with. Operations and Madeline had been surprisingly patient, however it was now time to pay the piper.

************

"Come in Michael, " Madeline looked up as he stood in her doorway. "I'm just waiting for Nikita and then we can begin."

He walked down the stairs into her office, trying to keep his face the expressionless mask he preferred whenever he dealt with her. Nikita came in a couple of minutes later, carefully not glancing in his direction and stood alongside of him in front of Madeline's desk. She looked at them both and sighed inwardly. *I hope this works, I don't want to lose either of them.* She could feel vibes from both of them but couldn't decipher quite what they were. Not hostile, not friendly but something else that she couldn't place at the moment.

Michael and Nikita could feel each other's presence almost as if they were still touching each other, a sensation that neither of them particularly welcomed at that point. Their nerves were still jangling from their encounter in the showers, minute shivers running up and down their spines, skin acutely sensitive to the feel of their clothes on their bodies.

"Operations has asked me to deal with this and told me to do so as I see fit."

Madeline stood up and walked around her desk, circling the two operatives.

"I do not know what is going on with you two and frankly I do not care. But, this is affecting our success rate in the field and it has gotten to the point that no one wants to work with either of you anymore. This is to stop immediately."

She stood in back of them and stared intently at them, trying to read them. Michael had stiffened slightly but otherwise showed nothing. Nikita had glanced at him for a second and then away, focusing on the back of Madeline's chair. Something about that look bothered Madeline for a moment and then she continued.

You are both to report to Entry, Walter will have your equipment waiting. The next time I see you in this office, this situation will have been resolved or one of you will be reassigned to our Moscow substation effective immediately."

She watched them as they walked out and realized what it was that had been bothering her when they were standing in front of her. They were in each other's space! And that look that Nikita had given Michael had been a full body one, not the usual top of the head one that she had been giving him for the last few months. The one that barely acknowledged his presence.

*What is going on here? They're different than they were two hours ago.*

Madeline called Walter.

"They're on the way down, are you ready?"

"As ready as I can be, I've cleared the immediate areas, told everyone I was working on a very unstable new plastique. That should do the trick. I sure hope this works." Walter picked up the pile of equipment in front of him and waited.

Nikita and Michael walked side by side down to Entry, both of them wondering what was going on. Madeline was noted for her ability to manipulate her operatives and this looked like a doozy of a manipulation in progress.

Neither one of them particularly felt like being reassigned to Moscow substation, the weather was terrible there 11 1/2 months out of the year and only the most recaltraitant operatives were punished like that. They walked around the corner to Entry and stopped dead. Walter stood there holding a pile of kickboxing equipment. Gloves, helmets, chest protectors and even a pair of styrofoam baseball bats.

"What the hell is this?" Nikita burst out.

"Madeline has ordered me to give you this stuff. Step in here please." Walter indicated the door to Entry. The looks on their faces almost cracked him up. He could swear Michael's jaw had actually dropped. They both looked at each other and then back at Walter.

"Come on, let's go. You think I don't have better things to do than stand here?" He shoved the equipment at them and opened the door. They walked through and stood in the middle of the empty room. Walter stood in the doorway.

"It's been decided that since you are both incapable of sorting out this situation that this is the way it will be done. You two are in here to stay until you come to terms with each other."

He chuckled at the looks they gave him.

"It's time to get primal children!"

With those words, Walter stepped out and locked the door from the outside.

************

Nikita swung around, hands on hips, as the door closed behind Walter.

"Great! Just great! I can't believe this! What the hell are we supposed to do now!"

Michael eyed her impassively. Not responding to her, he walked over and leaned against the wall, hands in his pockets. It was either that or throw something at her. This wasn't his idea of fun either. The prospect of having to spend the next few hours locked up with Nikita in a small room did not thrill him in the least.

"That's right! The patented Michael response! Walk away and not say a word!" Nikita was getting more infuriated by the second. She hated it when he did that, it drove her up a tree. She preferred people who showed their emotions openly so she knew what she was dealing with. Michael's blank masks drove her nuts.

She started pacing restlessly around the room. Just watching her pace irritated Michael. *Can't she ever keep still???* Covering his irritation, he took off his jacket and carefully folded it, placing it on the floor next to him. They were obviously here for a while so he might as well get comfortable. He leaned back against the wall, arms folded against his chest, staring off into space, mentally trying to block her out.

Nikita watched him do this and got even madder. She went over to the pile of equipment on the floor and picking up one of the styofoam baseball bats, swung it at him, hitting him squarely in the head.

"Don't you dare ignore me! Damn you Michael! This is all your fault!"

The look of utter surprise on his face was ludicrous. *What the hell???*

He put up a hand to ward off the next swing and at this, she lost it completely.

"Damn you! Damn you! Damn you!!!" She screamed, ferociously swinging the bat at him, trying to beat any part of him she could reach. Nikita chased him around the room, hitting him with all the force in her body. He backed up, tripped over the pile of equipment and landed on his rear with a thud that shook the floor.

"Merde!!! That hurt! Stop it Nikita! You're being childish!!"

Walter standing outside the door heard the thud and said to himself. *Ok, time to go. Sounds like they're going at it* He walked off, chuckling to himself. *Wish I could see what was happening in there*

"Childish?? I'll show you childish!! Nikita picked up anything she could reach in the pile of stuff and started hurling it at Michael. Gloves, helmets, everything went flying everywhere as he tried to protect himself from the onslaught, trying to get himself back on his feet.

One final fling of a glove brought Nikita within reach and he grabbed her by the ankle and brought her down on the floor with a crash, watching in satisfaction as she winced from the impact.

"That doesn't feel so good does it???" He was thoroughly pissed off himself now. Michael rose to his knees, grabbed the other bat and whacked her in the ribs with it.

"My fault is it?? If you had half the brains you were born with and stopped to think before you did anything, I wouldn't have to haul your ass out of the fire all the time!!" hitting her across the top of the head as he spoke, knocking her back down on the floor.

That insult stopped her dead in her tracks. Nikita turned back around and launched herself at him. This was war now!

************

Her initial attack drove him back down on the floor as she tried to scratch his eyes out. Michael grabbed her by the wrists and used his superior strength to flip her over on her back, using his weight to pin her down. She thrashed furiously, trying to throw him off.

"That's your problem Nikita! You never think! You just attack with no plan of action!" He was breathing heavily with the effort required to hold her down. His hair had come completely out of it's normal restrained waves and curled riotously around his face.

If it was possible to see red, Nikita did. That last comment was like waving a red flag at an irate bull.

"Gaaahhh!!" a shriek of unitelligible rage came from her. She brought her knee up and tried to get him where it hurts. Michael barely blocked her, only his superb reflexes saved him. He loosened his grip on her enough that she was able to twist away from him and roll to her feet.

"Don't think before I act???? You f---ing jerk!!! I saved your sorry ass when Madeline and Operations were all over your case because they thought you helped me escape!!!" Nikita grabbed the bat and hit him with it. "If I hadn't persuaded Jurgen that it was all my own idea, they'd have cancelled you!!"

Michael lost his temper at this. He hadn't been this mad in a long time. He prided himself on his iron control but this was too much.

"And if you hadn't been climbing all over me when you came back they wouldn't have been suspicious at all!!!" he had the other bat in hand now and swung it at her.

"I can't believe you were that stupid! I told you to be patient!!"

"That's just it Michael!!" she spat at him. "You told me!! You never asked me!!"

They fought furiously up and down across the room swinging for all they were worth, both mad as hell, trying to kill each other. Primal couldn't begin to describe it.

************

Half an hour later both combatants were exhausted. They'd fought their way back and forth across the room, muttering various obscenities as they went. Equipment was scattered everywhere.

Nikita made one final lunge at Michael in an effort to bring him down and missed completely, tripping over a chest protector and sprawling on the floor.

Thank god he thought, maybe I can end this thing, I can't move anymore!. He turned and landed on top of her with a thud, knocking whatever wind was left in her lungs out of her.

"Get Off Me!! I can't breathe!!!" she gasped.

"No Way!!" he panted back. "You'll try to knee me again!!"

She tried to struggle but his weight kept her immobile. He lay there on top of her back for a moment, almost enjoying the feeling of her body under his. Her wide necked t-shirt had come off one shoulder and her loosened hair tickled his face as he inhaled the heat and scent of her body, her long legs tangled with his.

As he lay there, to his dismay, Michael felt his groin tighten. Her closeness was definitely having an effect.

Oh No!! Lie Down!! he told his stubborn body. Not now! Don't do this to me!!

Nikita felt the change in his breathing and his body and inhaled sharply. Her body shivered in response as she felt the pressure of him against her rear. She couldn't stop an involuntary movement of her hips against his and almost whimpered in frustration.

Damn it!! Why does he make me feel like this!! She could feel the slow melting of her bones in response to his arousal. Sexual chemistry could be a real pain in the ass sometimes, she didn't want to feel like this....

Michael closed his eyes and groaned, his hands tightening on her arms, his head falling forward onto her shoulder. His warm breath tickled the side of her neck and she flinched, raising her head slightly to look into his face. His eyes were closed and his face was scrunched up, almost in pain. As she looked at him, he opened his eyes, staring into hers. Their normal pale green color changing into a deeper shade with his emotions, arousal and reluctance almost warring in them.

She reluctantly smiled at him. "I know. This is a real nuisance, isn't it?"

He didn't pretend not to know what she was talking about.

"Yes," he almost whispered in response. "My body has a mind of it's own where you're concerned."

Nikita could tell this was something he didn't like to admit. Michael had always been a control freak and something as elemental as this was bound to drive him crazy. It wasn't something he could control or compartmentalize and she almost felt sorry for him.

************

Nikita dropped her head to the floor.

"If it's any consolation Michael, I don't like the way My body always reacts to you either. It's a damned nuisance!" She laughed to herself, shaking her head. "Sometimes I think we should just screw our brains out and get it out of our systems."

He leaned over and licked the side of her neck, watching as she shivered.

"You do, hmm?" as he slid his hands up underneath her tshirt. "And when do you propose that we do this?" pulling her upright to lean back against him as he flicked his fingertips lightly against the underside of her breasts, her nipples tightening with the stimuli. "Now??" as he rolled her nipples between thumb and index finger.

She arched her head back against his shoulder, eyes closing as she enjoyed the pleasure of his touch, hands clenching on his thighs. Michael kissed the side of her throat, running his tongue down the lines of her neck and back up again to nip gently at her jawline. Nikita turned her head slightly to meet his mouth with her own, brushing lightly back and forth, lips parted, teasing him with the promise of a kiss.

"And I suppose this means you think you're in control of this??" she grinned wickedly at him. "Sorry but this time you're not!!"

Nikita turned her body suddenly and pushed him over on his back, catching him by surprise. She reached up and gripped his wrists, holding them over his head. Michael could easily have broken her grip but chose not to. He was too intrigued by where she was going with this to put up more than a token resistance. Besides, she'd lost track of the fact that as she leaned over him to pin him, it had put her breasts in perfect reach of his mouth and he didn't hesitate to take advantage of that, nipping at her through her shirt and listening to her squeak in surprise.

"You'll pay for that." She threatened him with a decided smirk on her face. She let go of his hands and straddled him. Gripping his hips with her thighs, she leaned over and ripped his shirt open, buttons went flying everywhere.

"Relax, I'll buy you a new one."

Michael closed his eyes as he felt her warm breath on his throat and then the touch of her tongue on his chest.

"Hmmm... I wonder if...." she took one of his nipples in her mouth and tugged at it gently, flicking her tongue around it. He groaned in his throat. "I guess that means you like it..." watching his face as he opened his eyes to see her watching his reaction. Her shifting weight on his hips created a delicious friction between their bodies and he arched his back to try and rub against her, reaching for her hips so he could move her.

"Uh, uh. Bad Boy! Hands down! This is my show!" Nikita was enjoying herself now. Michael had been the leader in their previous encounters and it was time to turn the tables. Also time to see just how nuts she could drive him.

She tormented him relentlessly, licking and nipping her way down his chest and across his stomach, feeling the jump of his muscles under her touch and seeing a slight mist of sweat break out on his skin. His hands were clenched at his sides in a desperated attempt to keep from grabbing her. Reaching his belt buckle, she paused and looked at him for a moment.

She slid a finger under his waistband, not touching him but coming very close to it, scratching her nail gently across his stomach as she sat across his thighs. Hoping to speed her up in this torment, he reached out and tugged at her shirt, pulling it over her head, then reaching out and fondling her breasts, sliding his hands up her thighs to the hem of her shorts, teasing her in return.

"I'll get you for that!!" She slooowwlly undid his pants and pushed them down along with his briefts caressing him as she went. Michael arched his hips into her hands, almost begging her to do something!!!

Nkita stopped her tormenting for a moment and looked at him as she crouched between his legs. His eyes were shut, head thrown back and a grimace on his face. Smiling to herself, she leaned forward and blew gently on him. A strangled yelp was her reward. Taking that as encouragement, she got to work.

Michael's body was covered in sweat by the time she was done with teasing him. She'd brought him to the edge and then stopped several times, refusing to allow him release. He was going out of his mind with the sensation. Nikita was thoroughly enjoying herself, the Ice Prince was definitely melting. She never thought she'd ever hear him beg like this.

"Uuhhh.. god...don't stop!!!"

"Don't worry, I won't.It's my turn now!!" as she ripped off her shorts and straddled him again.

"Now what was it you said you wanted?? Hmm??" as she rubbed against him, "this???" as she positioned herself and eased herself down onto him, gasping at the feeling. Leaning forward, she kissed him, an open-mouthed hungry kiss, as she started to move. He grasped her hips and moved with her, thrusting up into her as hard as he could. She rode him without mercy, driving them both out of their minds as she rotated her hips, grinding her pelvis into his, leaning her head back and moaning as he moved with her.

They moved mindlessly together, their only thought being satisfaction. This didn't last long, neither of them could take it, falling over the edge simultaneously as they clutched at each other, gasping and moving together for one last second of pure sensation.

Nikita's head fell forward and she collapsed against him, breathing heavily, her body quivering with aftershocks. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her to him, feeling himself twitch within her for one last pulse. They lay there together, too tired to move. Between all the exertions of the sparring session and now this, they were exhausted.

************

After about 15 minutes, Nikita stirred slightly.

"Umm....we should do this more often..." she giggled slightly.

"What? Fight? Or make up?" Michael could hardly move a muscle.

She raised her head and looked at him.

"Maybe both." Then seriously. "Michael, you know I care about you don't you?" she brushed his curls off his forehead. "And I think that deep down you care about me too."

"Can we try this all over again?"

He raised a hand and traced it tenderly across her cheek.

"Yes, I care. Almost too much." smiling at the look in her eyes.

"What do we do now?"

Michael sighed. "I don't know. It's going to be difficult."

Nikita laughed ironically. "Isn't it typical! Section couldn't care less if we just had sex, they just don't want our emotions involved."

He wrapped his arms around her and drew her down onto his chest. "I'm sorry."

"No! Not for this, I could never be sorry for this." he gestured at their entwined bodies. "But, for all the times I've shut you out and hurt you because I was afraid to feel again, afraid that Section would use our feelings against us and I wasn't willing to chance it." "Forgive me?"

She nuzzled her face against his. "I'm sorry too. Not for this either, it seems our bodies know more than our minds. But for all the times I've deliberately hurt you because I needed someone to lash out at and you were handy."

"Do you want to try this again?" he waited for her to decide.

"I don't think we have much choice, do we Michael? I've tried to get you out of my mind and my heart and it hasn't worked. Maybe we just need to explore this and see where it takes us."

Michael looked her straight in the eye. "It's not going to be easy, you know that don't you? Section will try to use us against each other. They've done it too many times before."

Nikita rolled off him and started to sit up. Michael followed her but then wrapped his arms around her and pulled her back against his chest, cradling her. She turned her head and looked into his eyes.

"Promise me something Michael," holding his look. "I need to know the truth when they try to manipulate us. I need to be able to trust in Us."

He covered her hand with both of his and brought it to her heart. "I promise...to be as honest with you as I can be, as honest as I am allowed to be."

"But I need you to promise me something too, love. I need you to know that the person I am in Section is not who I am when we are together. To realize that when I compartmentalize myself to do the job, that my feelings for you are still there even if I can't show them."

Michael and Nikita looked at each other. They both knew that this could be the start of something new for them. Where it would lead was anyone's guess. They were completely different people with totally opposite personalities.

And this was Section after all.

************

Madeline turned off her monitor and rose to leave her office. Maybe they could all get some work done now. She was pleased with herself, she always liked it when her "children" sorted themselves out. It made for more efficient operatives and made her job that much easier. She smiled as she picked up the phone.

"Walter? You can unlock the door now. It seems peace is at hand."

His laugh came back to her. "Ok, I'll just put an out of order sign on the door then to keep anyone from going in there."

Madeline laughed. "If anyone goes in there right now, they're going to get one hell of a view." recalling the entwined bodies she'd briefly glimpsed when she'd checked on them. She hadn't watched the whole thing, just enough to know that a reconciliation of some sorts was in the works.

"Madeline?" Walter's voice had a touch of curiousity in it. "You wouldn't happen to have had today's date in Birkhoff's pool would you?"

"Now, now Walter. You can just wonder along with the rest of them..."

Madeline made her way out of the office and headed for home where Operations was no doubt impatiently waiting for her report. She had no intention of giving him all the details. What he didn't know wouldn't hurt him.

Junior operatives were amazed to actually see a genuine smile on her face as she walked by. Unbeknownst to them, she was contemplating bringing home one of those styrofoam bats with her. She could just see the look on Marcus's face if she whapped him upside the head if He got too stuffy with her.

The End....at last......

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