AU
NC-17

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Disclaimer: This is a story I was compelled to write after watching the movie "The Long Kiss Goodnight". I thought the premise would translate well into an LFN Section based story. No copyright infringment is intended.

*Notes* A special Thank You to Myrna for beta reading this story. Your insights, determination and encouragement kept me going. I couldn't have done this without you. Thanks for being there for me.

And Thank You to my Eggplant sista's, who offered insights, ideas, and at time listened to and suffered through my incoherent ramblings while I worked this story out in my head. {{{Big Hugs}}} ;)

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Prologue

My name is Kimberly Curtis or, at least, I think it is. There are times when I stand in front of the mirror staring at my naked body and try to guess my age. Am I 25, maybe 30? I see a face looking back at me but it is not a face I recognize or one that I feel familiar with.

I have a condition known as Retrograde Amnesia. I woke up in a hospital three years ago with only fleeting flashbacks of who or what I might have been and wearing a chain around my neck with a wedding band. Because of that gold band, I have reason to hope and believe that someone is still looking for me - the same someone who has given me the greatest treasure I possess - my son.

When I did finally 're-emerge into this world', I learned that I was two months pregnant. Michael Nicholas arrived that July weighing a healthy 8lbs 11 oz. The moment they placed him in my arms, the questions that haunted me about my past slowly subsided. I may not remember who my baby's father is, but I do know one thing, he's all mine. Until that moment, I was a woman with a mysterious past and a questionable future. Looking into my newborn son's beautiful green eyes gave me hope for the first time in seven long months.

The doctors have given me no medical assessment as to how long this condition can or will last. It has been difficult to deal with at times and to this day I'm still adjusting. Living my life with this knowledge has left me no choice but to try and deal with my situation the best I can.

I have a job that I love, managing a local pub called Sully's. It's the only one in town and is very busy. In the three years I've been there, I've made lots of changes and the business has thrived because of them. Not a bad accomplishment for someone with amnesia!

I have a few good friends, but Sully has become my best friend. Patrick Sullivan was on vacation visiting with his grandchildren in Los Angeles three years ago when he found me on the beach. We were strangers, but he got help for me and stayed with me as if we had been life long friends. He came to visit me every day in the hospital, and we did, in fact, become friends. When it was time for my release, Sully offered to take me home with him. I had no place to stay, virtually no memory, no friends and no money.

He made me an offer to stay with him and get back on my feet and, in return, he only asked that I help out at his bar when needed. He was a sweet older man and, for some reason, I felt safe with him.

I flew to New Hampshire with Sully to begin my new life. He gave me a small cabin out behind his house in the countryside and helped me get settled. He added a second floor loft and a nice wrap around porch before Michael was born and basked in the idea of having a baby close by. His son, Patrick Jr., had moved away when he married eight years ago, and Sully made a trip to Los Angeles, and still does once a year to spend time with him and his family.

I used to hire expensive private investigators to search for who I used to be and none of them had any luck. Now I'm reduced to hiring cheap ones with basically the same outcome. Short of a name on a driver's license, I've resigned myself to the fact that I may never know my real identity or who the father of my son is so all I do is live each and every day the best I can.

Chapter 1

Stepping off the plane at Newark Airport, Kimberly smiled at her friends and their eagerness to hit the town. 'How did I let these two talk me into this trip??' she thought.

Claire Wellman and Suzy Bauer had convinced Kim to take a weekend trip to Atlantic City, take in a show or two, gamble and take a walk on the wild side for a change. Beyond managing Sully's Pub and taking care of Michael, Kim really didn't have much of a personal life, and her two best friends decided she needed to get out and live a bit.

This was the first time Kim had been away from Michael and she was finding it difficult to relax. Shaking her head at the constant babblings of her friends, she followed them to collect their luggage and then find a taxi to the hotel.

After checking in and getting settled in their rooms, Kim called Sully to check on her son. Sully laughed as he answered the phone, not bothering to say hello for he knew it would be her. After speaking with Sully and listening to Michael babble away, she bid them a good night and hung up.

She sat on the bed for a few minutes and allowed a few tears to fall, as she felt guilty for leaving her two-year old toddler behind. She wasn't allowed to delve much deeper into her self-inflicted pity party, as Claire and Suzy were at her door knocking incessantly for her to allow them in.

When the pair entered and saw that Kim was wearing black slacks and a plain white silk shirt, they stood back and shook their heads. Claire and Suzy were ready to party and there was no way they were letting Kim dress down for this occasion. Claire stepped out, went across to her room and came back with a garment bag and handed it to Kim.

"Change now!" she said to her friend with a smile on her face.

Kim looked down at her outfit and asked, "What's wrong with what I'm wearing?"

Suzy grimaced and replied, "Sweetie, we're not going to church, we're going to sin. Get changed now!"

Kim shook her head, as she knew her friends would not let this go until she changed, so she stepped past them and went into the bathroom. When she opened the bag, her eyes widened in shock at the outfit her friends brought for her.

She removed her clothes and bra and slipped into the skintight sapphire blue mini dress, the blue being the exact match to her eyes. She looked at her reflection in the mirror and was stunned at what she saw. The dress was completely strapless and it clung to her curves like a glove. Her cleavage was very visible and it made her blush. Looking in the bag further, she found black stockings and thigh high black boots. She sat down and put on the stockings, then the boots. As she stood up, she noticed the boots were almost to the bottom of her dress, which didn't make her feel any more comfortable about wearing this outfit that seemed to scream 'Come and get me big boy!'

She let her pale blonde hair down so it curled around her face, and then looking at her reflection she sighed. She looked like a different person and then thought 'Why do I feel like I've dressed this way before? Why do I feel that this is more like the 'real' me?'

Shaking off the wandering turn her mind had taken, she realized that her friends were waiting for her and walked out of the bathroom. Both girls clapped and whistled at her appearance, which caused her to bow her head and blush in embarrassment, which only reinforced her opinion of the outfit.

Claire said, "Now we are ready to paint the town."

Suzy handed Kim her purse, "Come on sweetie, there's a Prince Charming out there waiting for you."

Kim took her purse and said, "Suze, my Prince Charming is at home sleeping in his crib right now. I'm not looking for a man on this trip just like I don't look for one at home. I'm here to have fun and relax, understand?"

"Whatever you say Kim, but there's a man in your future, I can feel it."

Kim smiled at her meddlesome friends and clicked the light off as the walked out the door.

Chapter 2

Sitting at the roulette table, Walter grinned as he again had a winner. He collected his chips with a big smile and decided to try another table.

Strolling through the casino, his mind wandered back to the last three years and how much things had changed. A year and a half after losing Nikita, Michael was promoted to Operations, as Paul Wolfe had been moved to Oversight.

Michael never accepted Nikita's death and Walter was sure that he suffered in silence every waking moment. He had searched for weeks after her disappearance before Operations had him brought back to Section One where he was induced immediately.

Michael blamed Operations for Nikita's disappearance for he had assigned her to an undercover mission that he deemed classified. Try as they may, neither Michael, Birkoff or he was able to uncover one bit of intel on the mission Nikita had been assigned. One month after she had left on this secret mission, contact with her was lost. Operations had held a briefing informing Michael and his team that Nikita was no longer on the grid and foul play was suspected. He only gave them pieces of intel regarding her profile and told them there would be retrieval, if possible, and left the room.

Walter walked into a bar inside the casino and ordered a drink. Taking a sip of his beer, he remembered the pain he had seen in Michael's eyes. Ever the perfect operative, Michael's face showed no emotion but Walter knew better. Michael had risen from the table and, after a long minute, turned his head to look at Walter. Walter gave him a reassuring nod and, with no response, Michael turned and left for his office to prepare for the mission.

Walter knew it was to seek solace and to get a grip on his emotions and he gave Michael the privacy he sought. Birkoff was shouting at his people and demanding surveillance and intel on Nikita's last known location. Walter stood at the entrance to the munitions area and watched his young friend in silence. After five minutes of barking orders, Birkoff sat roughly in his chair and held his head. He slowly looked up and saw Walter staring at him. Walter gave Birkoff a small smile and nod of his head, and Birkoff let out a huge breath and went back to work.

Knowing the pain his friends were suffering only magnified his own fear about what could have happened to his Sugar. Fearing the worst, Walter left his area and went to see Madeline. When he entered Madeline's office, it appeared as if she had been expecting him to come. She turned to face him and said, "Yes Walter?"

Walter remembered mentally preparing for a battle with Madeline, as he cleared his throat and replied, "I'm going out with Michael and his team."

With an arched eyebrow, Madeline said, "I don't believe you are in a position to inform me of your intentions Walter. We make those decisions, and you've been here long enough to know that."

Walter felt his resolve triple as he struggled to keep his voice calm, "This is Nikita we are talking about. You and I both know if something has happened to her, Michael won't be able to deal with it. I want to be there; no, I NEED to be there for her and for him. You've been here long enough to know that I speak the truth, and I don't ask favors, especially from you."

Madeline nodded her head as if to say 'point taken'. She rose from her chair and rounded her desk to stand in front of Walter. She looked into his eyes, "Permission granted", and then Walter turned and left her office.

Walter recalled being in awe that Madeline had not put up the fight he had expected and breathed a sigh of relief. At this point, he was too emotional and things would have surely gotten ugly if his request had been denied.

When the team arrived at Nikita's last known location, there were no clues of what might have happened to her other than some traces of blood on the floor.

An operative took a sample, ran it through his panel, and it came back as type AB, operative match, name: Nikita.

Michael closed his eyes as fear squeezed his aching heart. Walter shook his head and pleaded with the Lord above to let his Sugar be okay. For days they followed small leads in hopes of finding her, but they all led to dead ends. Operations had ordered the team back to Section and declared that Nikita was MIA and presumed dead. Michael refused to return to Section as ordered and asked for immediate downtime to search on his own. Madeline granted his request with the stipulation that Walter would remain with him.

For two more weeks, they searched night and day for her and found nothing. Michael had to wonder if they were even looking in the right place considering the secrecy surrounding her mission. Had Operations purposely misled them as to her last known location? At the end of the second week, an extraction team arrived and was forced to tranquilize Michael to bring both him and Walter back to Section.

Taking a long swig of his beer, Walter sighed as he remembered his Sugar. Her light had shined so brightly with her love and compassion even in a place as dark as Section. Michael hadn't been the same since her death. After he was induced, he was kept inside Section for two months undergoing extensive therapy and reprogramming. The Michael that emerged from Madeline's therapy was a true machine. Walter knew that Michael had given himself over to Section and gladly accepted his fate as punishment for not protecting Nikita, as he felt he should have.

Michael performed at 100% after rejoining his team and going back out into the field. When Operations was promoted, Michael was the obvious choice to succeed him. Michael had been given command a little more than a year and a half ago and, as with everything else he did, assumed the responsibilities with ease and near perfection.

Yes, things had changed and, as he finished his beer, Walter leaned to his right to reach for his wallet when he caught a flash out of the corner of his eye. Slowly rising from his stool, he threw some bills on the bar and walked towards something that his eyes couldn't and wouldn't believe.

After three long years, he would know that laugh anywhere. The hair was longer but the voice hadn't changed. He slowly walked towards her, frightened that it was his imagination playing tricks. Fear clenching his heart, he reached out with a shaky hand and touched her shoulder. The blonde beauty spun around and smiled at him and said "Hallo."

Chapter 3

"Can I help you with something?" the blonde asked him.

It took Walter a minute to catch his breath while Kimberly held his arm, as he had a distressed look on his face and said, "Sir, are you alright? Shall I get you some medical attention or someone to help you?"

Walter reached out and put his hand over hers, swallowed deeply then said, "I'm sorry Sugar; I didn't mean to frighten you. It's just that you look like someone I used to know a long time ago."

'Sugar'!! As if she had been thunderstruck, a fierce jolt of recognition hit Kimberly and she timidly asked "Walter???? Is that you??"

He gasped as he held her arm to make sure she was real. "Yeah, Sugar it is me. But more importantly, where have you been and what the hell happened?? Better yet, I think we need to sit down before I fall down!!"

"I'd like that," she finally replied and allowed Walter to guide her to a table in a nearby eatery.

The two sat and talked for hours. Walter only told Nikita what he felt she could handle at this moment and gently prompted her to tell him what she had been doing for the past three years in an attempt to ascertain how much she truly remembered about who she was. What Walter did not do was tell her that her name was not Kimberly, as he felt that was something that could be done at a later time. He just wanted her to get as comfortable with him as possible right now. Kim told Walter about managing the pub back home in New Hampshire and all the expansions they had done in the three years since she started there. Kim also told him about her condition and not being able to remember who or what she used to be but that she did have flashbacks and felt that she knew some facts of her background prior to her accident. She told him about the private investigators she had hired and how none of them ever came up with any leads as to who she might have been. There were no birth records, no documents of any kind that could possibly shed some light on her former identity.

Walter listened intently hanging on her every word. She told him how she was found on the beach by Sully, and that he was the one who took her to the hospital, and then took her in and brought her home when she was well enough to travel. Kim had told Walter almost every detail of her life as it was now, but left a important details out. She never mentioned her son or the fact that she thought she was married. She was very protective of Michael and, although she felt comfortable with Walter and knew that she had known him previously, something inside her told her not to mention her child yet.

After another round of drinks, Kim chuckled and said "Suzy and Claire are going to flip when I tell them about you."

Walter gave her a curious look and asked, "Why is that?"

Kim touched his hand reassuringly and said, "They told me that I would meet a man that would change my life, and I think that man is you Walter."

Walter returned her smile, "I hope so Sugar, I really hope so."

Chapter 4

Walter and Kimberly roamed the casinos together for the rest of the night. Walter's heart rejoiced with the knowledge that his 'Sugar' was indeed alive and kicking. He had so many questions now that he knew he wouldn't have time to get answers for. He had to see her again, had to spend more time with her and get to the bottom of what had happened.

It was around 2 AM when Kim started yawing, and Walter asked to walk her to her room. Kim smiled and slipped her arm in his and allowed him to accompany her to her room.

Kim opened the door and invited him in while she grabbed some paper off the desk and wrote down her cell, home and work phone numbers and handed them to him. Walter took the paper, looked at it and smiled and placed it in his jacket pocket, and said, "I'll be back on the East Coast in a few weeks. I'll call you when I clear my schedule, and then we can get together again Sugar. How does that sound?"

Kim looked tenderly at Walter and said, "This is too good to be true if you really want to know."

Walter reached out and took Kim's hands and held them in his. He cleared his throat and, "Consider it fate, a gift, karma, whatever you will. We were meant to meet here, and I know in my heart that we will figure out what happened."

Kim smiled with a single tear sliding down her cheek. "Thank you Walter. I can't tell you how much this means to me."

Walter thought, 'I know Sugar, believe me I know.'

Walter gripped her hands tightly and said, "Well, I've got a plane to catch in a few hours. I'll call you as soon as I can and we'll make arrangements for me to come and visit."

Kim said, "I look forward to hearing from you Walter."

Walter hugged her, took one more look at her beautiful smile, winked and then left her room.

Walking to the elevators, his mind racing with a million questions, a thought came to the forefront of his mind. He smiled and shook his head because in his own excitement, he had somehow pushed the one person who would be more excited about his discovery than he was himself out of his mind. Stepping into the elevator he sighed and looked up and said to himself, "Michael, I've found her. I've found our Sugar."

Chapter 5

Kimberly, Claire and Suzy enjoyed their weekend stay in Atlantic City, but Kimberly was more excited about going home to Michael. Her friends were right, she did enjoy herself and it was good to get away, but it was even better to be going home. On the plane, she stared out her window and ran over the events of the weekend in her mind. Meeting Walter had definitely been the high point of the trip. She closed her eyes and prayed that he would be the one who would finally get her some answers to fill in the gaps.

When the plane landed at Manchester airport, Sully and Michael were waiting for her. She saw them in the crowd and ran full steam to reach them with tears in her eyes. She dropped her bags and scooped Michael into her arms. She spun around holding him tight to her chest and raining kisses all over his tiny face.

Sully stood there smiling watching mother and son, and then cleared his throat and said, "What am I chopped liver here?"

Kim smiled and turned to face Sully and gave him a kiss on the cheek and a big hug with Michael still in her arms. Sully picked up her bags, put his arm around her waist and walked to the baggage claim for the rest of her luggage.

After getting her other bag, Kim, still holding Michael close to her heart and Sully walking beside her, left the airport and headed home.

As the trio walked out of the airport, a man who had been following them spoke to no one in sight, but said, "Package arrived safely, on her way to the residence," and then proceeded to trail behind the group to their car and followed them at a safe distance home.

Kim regaled Sully with the stories of her weekend away and the mysterious man that may prove to be the answer to her prayers. Sully was taken aback by her revelations, but his worries were lessened at the sight of Kimberly who was positively glowing with a light in her eyes he had not seen in quite a long time. She had hope and this made Sully smile for his friend, a woman he considered the closest thing he'd ever have to a daughter.

The two-hour trip home was filled with stories of Michael and what he had done in the two days Kim was gone. Sully told her every little detail so she wouldn't miss out on one little thing that had occurred. Michael was changing almost every day. He was walking and starting to really talk now and getting into all sorts of things. Sully was 'Gampa' to Michael, and Kim knew that the two men in her life had a very special bond with each other. Sully had conspired with Claire and Suzy to get Kimberly to go on this girls' weekend trip and, after hearing how things went, was even more glad he had done so.

When they arrived home, Kim unpacked and got settled in, and then they all had a nice family dinner at Sully's Pub where a lot of friends had turned out to hear stories of the trip. Kim felt a relief to be back home and in the company of people that she considered her family. With the prospect of Walter's trip in a few weeks, she smiled as she pushed some stray curls out of her son's eyes. Maybe she would finally find out who she was and maybe that would lead to finding the father of her baby boy. She hoped that the answers to all her questions would finally be answered, and then her life would truly be complete.

Chapter 6

Walter arrived back in Section and went straight to work. On the return flight, he was torn as to whether or not he should tell Michael that he had found Nikita. He remembered the pain that his young friend had suffered silently and knew that in his heart, Michael never gave up hope that she would be found.

Walter knew without a doubt it was Nikita, that wasn't what was tearing him up inside. Michael was Operations now, and Walter was sure that Michael would have accessed all of the previous Operations files concerning Nikita and her classified mission. Paul Wolfe never revealed the complete profile of the mission Nikita had been sent on, and Walter had to wonder if the mission had been a success or not. If they achieved closure, even with Nikita's disappearance, then her being alive wouldn't pose too much of a problem that he could see. On the other hand, if the mission went badly and Nikita was left hung out to dry on purpose, Paul Wolfe would certainly take steps to cover his tracks and that could mean trouble for Sugar.

Walter always believed that Wolfe had given them false intel when the team was sent to search for Nikita. His many years of experience in Section, as well as working with Wolfe, told him that something was wrong, and he was unable to shake that feeling. With Wolfe now at Oversight, he would have no trouble accessing any information that Section had in their data banks.

If Walter told Michael, he was positive Michael would move heaven and earth to get to Nikita and that could put her in more trouble than anything. If Wolfe was hiding something, and Walter felt in his gut that Wolfe was, it would be too dangerous for Section to know she was alive. He would have to get Michael away from Section and its prying eyes and ears in order to let him know. He would also need some help with surveillance. He smiled and looked over at Birkoff. First he had to get Michael out of Section then, if all went well, he would be one step closer to having his Sugar back.

At the end of Walter's shift, he made his way to the Perch to see Michael. When he entered, Michael was finishing a briefing with his second-in-command Simmons. Simmons was a decent man that Michael had transferred from Section 5 when he assumed command, as Madeline had moved to Oversight as well. Simmons was an extremely intelligent analyst who had excelled within Section almost as quickly as Michael had. He was an exceptional strategist and his numbers while working in the field were at 99%.

Walter liked Simmons for he had some of Nikita's traits as well. He was ruthless but could also be compassionate. Since joining Section One, Michael and Simmons had made quite a few changes. They explored every avenue to ensure low casualties during missions and had come to work together like a well-oiled machine.

Walter cleared his throat and Simmons turned and greeted him with a smile.

"Welcome back Walter, how did you do at the tables?" Simmons asked.

Walter returned his smile and replied, "I did better than usual."

Michael asked, "Is there something you needed Walter?"

Walter stepped further into the room and replied, "A word in private if I may."

Simmons turned to Michael and Michael said, "We're done for now."

Simmons nodded, "I'll be in my office if you need anything. I need to finish the Krueger profile tonight."

Simmons nodded to Walter as he left the Perch and Michael turned to Walter and said, "What is it you needed?"

Walter took a deep breath, "I'd rather not discuss it here," and looked around the room with his eyes.

Michael looked to his right and then back to Walter. "Walter, I'm very busy. Just tell me what it is you need."

Walter felt a surge of adrenaline and replied "I don't ask you for much Michael. We go back a long way, and I've been there for you and done things for you without asking for much in return. I need to talk to you but it can't be here and it needs to be now."

Michael studied the older man's face and saw the seriousness in his eyes. Curious, Michael pressed a button to Simmon's office.

"Yes sir, " Simmons replied.

"I'm leaving Section for a few hours, you know how to reach me." Michael calmly stated.

"Yes sir." was Simmon's reply and Michael closed the link.

He turned to Walter and said, "Did you have a location in mind?"

Walter smiled and rubbed his hands together, "Yes Michael, I do", and the two men left Section together.

Chapter 7

Thirty minutes later, Walter and Michael and two security guards walked into a "hole in the wall" bar. Walter nodded to the bartender and walked past the main bar to a doorway. Michael followed closely behind Walter, as they climbed a set of stairs to a second floor loft area. Walking to the back of the room, Walter slid a bookshelf to the side to reveal a secret door. Walter motioned for the guards to come and look at the room, and then asked them to wait outside. Looking to Michael for orders, he nodded and told them to wait there.

Both Michael and Walter entered the room, and the bookshelf slid back to it's original position securing the inside room. Walter motioned for Michael to have a seat at the small table in the center of the room. Michael sat across from Walter and calmly asked, "Why the secrecy Walter? What could not be discussed inside Section?"

Walter looked at Michael for a long minute, and then rose from his seat and began to pace the room. Seeing the older man trying to mentally prepare his words, Michael slid back in the chair and folded his arms across his chest.

Walter turned to Michael and said, "I was in Atlantic City for my downtime playing the tables and having a great time. The women were incredible. I won a good amount of money; it was a really good time Michael."

Michael gave Walter a stern look and said, "This is what you couldn't tell me in Section?"

Walter stopped pacing and glared at Michael. He continued, "My last night there, I was sitting in a bar inside the casino. I saw something out of the corner of my eye, and I thought I was dreaming. I paid my tab and walked over and tapped her on the shoulder..."

Michael's eyes became alive and he sat up a little straighter in his chair waiting for Walter to continue.

"Anyway, she spun around and it was her, Michael. I couldn't catch my breath. I just stood there and stared at her like a fool."

"She grabbed my arm and asked me if I was alright," Walter chuckled, "And then she gasped and said my name. Michael it was her, it is Nikita, she's alive!!"

Michael rose from his seat and stood behind his chair. In a voice reflecting anticipation, relief and sadness, he asked Walter, "Tell me everything. Did she know you?"

Walter said, "This is the weird part amigo. She has some kind of amnesia. Her long-term memory is fine but she only has intermittent flashbacks of who she was and her life immediately prior to her disappearance. She didn't recognize me at first but when I called her Sugar, she looked as if she had been hit by lightning and spoke my name. I spent six hours talking with her hoping, praying that something else I said would make her remember more but nothing did."

Michael asked, "Where is she now?"

Walter could see where this was going. "Michael, you can't go to her, not yet. Listen to what I have to say, let me tell you the rest before you run off to drag her back here."

Michael, feeling a bit frustrated, nodded his head allowing Walter to continue.

"She's hired all sorts of private investigators to find out who she is. All of them Michael, all seven agencies she's hired came up with nothing, nada. Does that sound right to you? She's been searching for three years to find out who she is Michael. You and I both know that even in our line of business, there are leaks and tiny loose ends. This is all too neat, too convenient, like someone doesn't want her to find out the truth."

Michael asked Walter, "So how did you leave it with her?"

Walter smiled and puffed out his chest as he said, "After listening to her for hours, I told her I would come back for a longer visit and we would try to put the puzzle back together."

Chapter 8

Michael thought about all that Walter had told him and had to agree, it just didn't add up. His heart rejoiced that his soul mate was alive. Somewhere deep inside of him, in a place that no one and nothing could ever touch, he kept his love for Nikita alive. He had tried to no avail to access the mission she was on when she was presumed lost, but the files had been deleted and there was no trace of them. Paul Wolfe had been very careful to hide whatever mission he had sent her on, and being in a superior position to Michael even now, Paul was not likely to disclose any information to him.

Walter was right, Michael wanted to go to her right now, at this moment and hold her and bask in the feeling of her arms wrapped around his body and her love wrapped around his heart. There had to be a way................

Michael brought his gaze up to Walter and said, "Did she agree to let you help her?"

"Give me a break Michael. I can be very convincing when I need to be. Of course she agreed. She desperately wants to know who she is. I told her I would come back to the East Coast in a few weeks and would clear my schedule for her."

Walter pulled a slip of paper out of his pocket and handed it to Michael. "She gave me all her phone numbers and is expecting to hear from me soon."

Michael looked at the paper and sighed. It was her handwriting. It said Kimberly Curtis and had her three phone numbers listed below. Michael memorized the numbers and then handed the paper back to Walter.

Walter said, "I need your help Michael. I need to go to her and find out more. I'm going to need some help, and it has to be someone we trust to be discreet."

Michael folded his hands in front of his body and said, "You will go alone. You will have all the surveillance equipment you need and will have access to Birkoff. You will be on downtime until further notice and will report only to me."

Walter nodded his head as he listened to Michael lay out a tentative plan for ensuring a cover, funds and equipment all without the knowledge of the Section.

With plans set, Walter walked towards the door to leave and Michael reached out, grabbed his arm and said, "How is she?"

Walter smiled and replied, "As beautiful as ever Michael. So innocent and pure like the first day I laid eyes on her. She's living a good life. This man Sully that she told me about has taken really good care of our girl."

Michael looked away but did not release Walter's arm and Walter said, "Michael, he's a good man. She loves him like a father, and he's treated her like the daughter he never had."

Michael nodded to Walter. With a smile Walter said, "Come on, let's go. We've got a lot of work to do."

He opened the door and allowed Michael to exit first. Before following him out of the room, Walter sighed and looked up to the ceiling, "Please keep her safe. I don't think either of us could bear losing her again," and then followed Michael out the door.

Chapter 9

Kimberly had gotten back into her routine the first full day back from her trip. She woke around 6:30 AM, showered and dressed for the day, then went to the kitchen to make coffee and prepare breakfast for Michael. She glanced at the morning paper and sipped her coffee as she waited for Michael to wake.

She put down her paper, walked to the front porch and watched the sun creep over the beautiful pine trees on the horizon. It was a morning ritual she had come to enjoy and one that had brought her a small sense of peace in the last few years.

Her life was such a mystery, so full of questions she feared would go unanswered forever. She smiled as she thought of Walter. She just could not believe that finally she might get the answers to all the questions she had; there was a light at the end of the tunnel.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the whimpering sounds of her son as he awoke. She turned, went back inside and into his room. He was standing up in his crib with one arm outstretched towards his mother as she entered the room. She picked him up, and he immediately snuggled into her chest and settled down.

After she had Michael changed, dressed and fed, the pair walked over to see 'Gampa' as they did every morning. Sully was awake and waiting for his surrogate family when they walked in the door, and Michael waddled right over to him with his arms outstretched. Sully and Kim sat down on the couch, as Michael found his favorite toys that Gampa had bought just for him and began to discuss the plans of the day.

Kim would usually take Michael to the office with her if Sully was working, and they had a few busy weeks coming up for it was almost the end of summer. Two years ago, Kim had convinced Sully to convert the upstairs of the pub to a private room and her plan worked beautifully. They had the room booked for special occasions almost every weekend from now until Christmas. Kim and Sully talked shop a while longer, and then went their separate ways for the day.

The rest of the week was busy for Kim but that's the way she liked things. She had heard from Walter four days after she got back from her trip, and he told her he would be in her neck of the woods within a week.

He asked her how things were going, and she told him that it was probably nothing, but she'd had a lot of hang-ups when she answered her phone lately. She would say hello and there would be no one on the other end. Walter was not upset by this revelation, as he smiled and assumed it had been Michael.

Walter told her not to worry, and he would check things out when he arrived. The two talked for a few more minutes, as she gave him directions from the airport, and then they said their goodbyes and ended the call.

Walter turned around after hanging up with Nikita, smiled at Michael and said, "Your calling and hanging up is making her uneasy."

Michael looked to his right and then turned back to face Walter and replied, "My calling?"

Walter smiled, knowing that Michael was not going to admit that he had been calling her and then said, "Yes Michael, your calling. Everything is in place, I have all the equipment I need for now, and I'll be watching her for a few days before I make contact again. I know it's hard amigo, but you've got to stop for now."

Michael neither confirmed or denied Walter's accusation and said, "Establish contact with me as soon as you arrive, and when you speak with her keep the comm unit open. I want to hear every word that's spoken."

Walter nodded his head and said, "I have the bugs, and I'll plant them in her house and at her work. I know the drill Michael. With what's at stake, believe me, I'm well aware of what needs to be done."

Michael stood firm in front of the older man. "I know you do Walter. Just be careful, we can't afford any mistakes."

Walter patted Michael on the shoulder and said, "I'll let you know when I arrive, " and then turned and headed towards van access.

Chapter 10

Once Walter arrived in the States, he checked into his hotel thirty miles away from where Kimberly lived. He wanted to keep a low profile, assess the area and keep an eye on her for a few days.

Walter easily found Sully's Pub, as well as Kimberly's cottage. He had relayed all the information on the area to Michael, and then waited to make contact with Kimberly. He had scoped out the area for two days, and then he called her. She was excited that he had arrived early and asked him to come to the house. She gave him directions and they hung up.

Walter tapped his comm unit to get in touch with Michael and told him he was going to her house. Michael acknowledged the message and was standing by for visual confirmation. Michael's outward appearance was calm and controlled as usual, but inside his heart was pounding against his rib cage, and he was struggling to maintain his calm demeanor. He reached for the remote and darkened the Perch windows as Birkoff joined him.

Birkoff said, "Everything is in place. The signals will be sent directly to your panels and cannot be accessed from any other station."

Michael nodded his head and stared at the blank screen.

"I can't believe we're really going to see her," Birkoff said with a hint of excitement in his voice.

Feeling anxious Birkoff began to ramble, "I never wanted to believe she was gone. Isn't it amazing how Walter found her? In New Jersey of all places. I mean what are the odds the two of them would vacation in New Jersey at the same time?"

Michael moved to stand in front of Birkoff and Birkoff sighed, "Sorry sir, I'm just nervous I guess."

Michael gave Birkoff a slight nod of his head and moved back over to the screen to wait for Walter's hidden camera to be activated. Within fifteen minutes, the blank screen came alive with pictures of a farmer's porch with hanging plants.

"He's sending now sir, "Birkoff said to Michael, who came to stand next to the younger man. They watched as Walter adjusted the camera so it was angled properly, and all three men seemed to hold their breath as Walter knocked on the door. It seemed an eternity had passed when the large white door swung open and the sight of a slightly wet Nikita in a short silk bathrobe came into view.

Both Michael and Birkoff exhaled at the sight of her beautiful smile and that husky voice that they had so missed.

"Walter, you made it!" she said as she embraced the older man.

"Did you find the place alright? Sometimes my directions aren't the greatest," she said as she drew her newly found old friend into her home.

"Didn't make one wrong turn. Your directions were perfect Sugar."

Nikita said, "I was working out back and got filthy. Pardon my appearance, I just got out of the shower."

Walter grinned, "Everything looks just fine to me Kimberly. You could actually stay just like that while we conduct our business."

Kimberly put her hands on her hips, smiled and asked, "Are you always such a terrible flirt Walter?"

Walter's smile grew wider as he replied "When I stop flirting they will be putting me in the ground!"

Kimberly chuckled. "Make yourself at home while I get changed. I should only be a quick minute or two."

Walter waved his hand. "Take your time, I'm all yours anyway Sugar."

She gave him a heartwarming smile and said, "Ok. Be right back", and trotted up the stairs.

Michael and Birkoff were watching the exchange between the two and felt a relief. It was Nikita! Michael tapped Walter's comm unit and said, "Plant the bugs everywhere. I want visuals from all angles."

Walter started placing tiny pin-like cameras around the room. He stopped at a bookshelf and saw a picture of a baby. He glanced at it and assumed the baby belonged to a friend of Kim's. He moved around the living room and kitchen placing the cameras and mini microphones, always listening for her footsteps to make sure she was still upstairs.

He had two more rooms left to bug when he heard footsteps approaching, so he quickly moved back to the living room and sat down on the couch. He sat back and looked around the room and smiled. It was homey with a rustic sort of look. It suited Nikita nicely.

He was brought out of his gazing by the continued sound of footsteps. He snapped his head to the left as he heard the steps drawing closer. Nikita was upstairs, so who's footsteps could that be? He thought.

His question was answered when a sleepy-eyed little boy came walking around the corner rubbing his eyes with one hand and carrying a large teddy bear in the other. Walter held his breath as he got a better look at the little boy approaching him. He had auburn colored hair with some lighter tints to it and big bright green eyes.

"Oh my God.............." Walter whispered.

Just then Kimberly came trotting down the stairs and saw her little boy. The boy looked away from Walter and trotted over to his mother, who scooped him up into her arms.

She said, "Did you have a good nap sweetie pie?" and the boy snuggled his head under her chin but kept an eye on the strange man sitting on the couch.

Walter said in a shaky voice, "You....you have a child?"

Kimberly smiled and said, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you. Yes. This is my son.......Michael."

At that moment, Walter felt dizzy, Birkoff stood there watching with his jaw dropped and Michael closed his eyes and thought.... A son......

Chapter 11

"Mi-Mi-Michael?" Walter sputtered out.

Kimberly laughed and said, "Yes, his name is Michael."

Walter stood up and walked two steps closer to Kimberly and held out his hand to the young child. Michael kept an eye on the older man but snuggled deeper into his mother's embrace.

"How old is he?" Walter asked with a smile crawling across his face.

Kimberly replied, "He turned two just a few months ago. He was born on July 5th."

Walter's smile grew as the little boy touched one of Walter's fingers and held it.

"He's beautiful Kimberly. Why didn't you tell me about him?"

Kim smiled and moved to sit on the couch, and then replied, "When I woke up in the hospital I only knew two things, one I was pregnant and the second was that I believed I was married." At this point, Kimberly showed Walter her wedding band, which she still wore around her neck. "I'm not ashamed of him, please don't think that Walter. It's just that I don't know who I am, and I don't know what kind of a person I was. What if I did something terrible, and because of what I did, my son could suffer for it. Everyone in town knows about Michael, but I don't talk about him to strangers. Maybe I've seen too many movies or I'm being silly, but he's my whole life, and I feel that whoever I was is also a part of him and, for some reason, he needs to be protected. Does that make sense? Do you see now why it's so important for me to find out about myself?"

Walter smiled and said, "Don't worry Sugar. I ain't leaving until we know the truth and that's a promise." Walter may have looked happy on the outside but he was in shock. He had no idea that Michael and Nikita were married!

Michael stood stoically before the monitor and tried to calm his breathing. His first thought was 'a son, he and Nikita had a son'. He had always dreamt of having a child with Nikita, many children actually, and had assumed that it would only be a dream. Section wouldn't sanction a relationship between the two, so the idea of having children together had been tucked away somewhere deep in his heart. But what he saw with his own eyes was, in fact, a dream come true. His mind raced back to the last time they were together. They had 48 hours of downtime and spent it in her apartment making love. They had gotten married the week before knowing that they would not be able to tell anyone. The memories of the vows they had taken, the promises they had made and the love they shared had been forever etched in his mind but now seemed so much more important with the discovery of the child,his child. Michael smiled to himself as he could only imagine how Walter was dealing with the startling discovery of their marriage!

Michael didn't think it was possible to love her more than he did, but he was wrong. The cold dark cloud that had encased his heart after she disappeared was shattered, as his heart grew with the revelation that he had a son. Wanting to go to them, love and protect them was an urge that was almost impossible to bear. Whatever happened from this point on, Michael knew he would make a deal with the devil himself, if it meant that Nikita and their son would remain safe.

Walter took a few minutes to try to conceal his shock at these two incredible pieces of information and to study the small child, and he even got a smile out of the toddler while making a silly face. A quick knock was heard at the door and a man's voice carried through the house, "Where's my little rug rat?"

Michael shimmied off his mom's lap and waddled over towards the voice. Sully bent down and scooped up the toddler and kissed his chubby cheeks. He walked towards the living room carrying Michael in his arms and saw Kimberly sitting with Walter. They both rose as Sully entered the room, and Kimberly introduced the two men to each other. Kim smiled, as Michael was reaching into Sully's shirt pocket searching for a treat that his Gampa always had there for him.

Sully sat down in a chair across from the couch with Michael firmly attached to his neck. Michael got the cookie out of Sully's pocket and laid his head back on Sully's shoulder and began to eat. Walter smiled at the sight before him. He knew that Michael was seeing what he was seeing back at Section, and he smiled even greater knowing that it was him who made this reunion, via hidden camera, possible.

Kimberly and Sully told the story of how she was found to Walter, while all three of them watched Michael play on the floor with some toys. After about an hour, Sully stood up and said he had to get going, and Walter stood to shake his hand.

Sully said, "You know, I was a little leery when Kim here told me about meeting you. I'm glad to see I was wrong."

Walter smiled and said, "I'm gonna move heaven and earth if I can to help this little lady, you can bet on that."

Sully chuckled, "If I can be of any help, make sure and let me know. By the way, where are you staying?"

Walter said, "Holiday Inn about 30 miles south of here."

"No Walter, that won't do. Get your stuff and come back here. I've got three spare rooms in my house and you can take your pick" Sully offered.

Walter smiled, "Great. Sure it's no trouble Sully?"

"Nope. No trouble at all."

Michael stood, pointed at Sully and with a curious look said, "Gampa".

Sully stopped and picked up Michael. "Gampa's going bye-bye for a while. Can I have a kiss?"

Michael gave Sully a cute little kiss on the cheek and wrapped his arms around his neck for a hug. Sully patted his little butt and said, "Gampa loves you. Be a good boy for momma, and I'll see you later on, ok big guy?"

Michael nodded and Sully put him down on the floor. He turned to Walter, "Well hope you don't mind babysitting. Kim is working the downstairs bar tonight, and Michael will spend the night at my place with us."

Walter smiled and said, "That's not a problem. He seems like a great kid."

Sully smiled and told Walter, "He's his mama through and through. Cute as a button and smart as they come."

Kim kissed Sully on the cheek. "I'll bring him around 6, ok?"

Sully smiled and said, "See you then Kim. Why don't you take a ride with Walter here to get his stuff and drop it off while I'm out, that way he can get settled in before tonight."

"Ok Sully, sounds like a plan."

And with that being settled Sully left to tend to his errands.

Chapter 12

Walter had left soon after Sully and went to collect his belongings and check out of the hotel. He assured Kim that he would manage fine on his own and would be back in no time. He needed time to check in with Section and see how Michael was dealing with the revelation that he had another child. Once he told them he was clear and free to talk, Birkoff started talking a mile a minute into Walter's ear, and Walter just smiled and let his young friend ramble. After packing his things and checking out of the hotel, Walter sat in his Jeep and spoke with Michael. Walter knew that Michael must have been reeling from the knowledge that he and Nikita had a child together and wanted Michael to know that, now more than ever, he would make sure that they would be safe. He also wanted to know about this marriage!!

Michael had still been unable to find out any more information in regard to Nikita's last mission and was equally unsuccessful in finding out any details about her new identity. It was all too neat, too tidy and had Section written all over it.

"Walter, I want you to follow her tonight. I want you to plant more bugs at the pub. We need to keep any eye on her at all times."

"Understood Michael. I'm pulling up to the house now, I'll check in later," and with that, Walter climbed out of the Jeep, grabbed his bags and headed for Sully's cottage.

Kim met Walter on the porch and brought him inside. She showed him the spare rooms, and Walter chose the first one that he saw. This room faced her cottage out back and it suited him just fine.

Walter got settled in while Kim went back to her place with Michael to make dinner. When Walter came in, his senses were alive at the aroma that filled the house. He walked into the kitchen and said, "Something smells incredible. What ya cooking Sugar?"

Kim smiled as she handed Michael his sippy cup and finished fixing a salad. "Eggplant Parmigiana. I hope you're hungry," she said over her shoulder.

Walter smiled as he looked and saw little Michael in his high chair devouring a bowl of peas and carrots with something mushy all over his face. Kimberly turned and smiled as she told Walter, "It's best not to watch the monster eat. I try not to because he makes such a mess of things and it always looks gross."

Walter chuckled and asked, "So I guess he's a good eater?"

"Boy is he ever. He is an eating machine."

Kimberly motioned towards a chair and told Walter to have a seat and that dinner was ready. They sat and had a wonderful meal, with the occasional sputtering from Michael, and talked more about the everyday things she did.

After dinner, Kimberly took Michael in for a bath and got him ready for bed. Walter was always close by, knowing that Michael was back in Section watching and enjoying every detail of his young son's life. Walter was also savoring this experience, for he always felt like Nikita was the daughter he never had, and the child belonging to her and Michael was the closest thing to a grandchild he could have ever wished for.

Once Michael was cleaned and changed into his jammies, Kim collected his night bottle and favorite blanket and teddy bear and walked him and Walter over to Sully's place. She got Michael all settled in and gave him hugs and kisses and told him to be a good boy for Gampa, and she would see him in the morning.

Michael clung to his mother's neck and quietly babbled into her ear. His language skills were improving everyday, and even if she couldn't recognize his words as English, she always knew what he meant by them. She handed him over to Sully, who she also kissed on the cheek, and bid the men a good night. She went back to her place and changed and left for work.

A few hours after she had left, Walter inquired as to where the bar was and said he could use a few pops before he turned in for the night. Sully gave him directions, and Walter headed out to keep watch over Nikita.

Back at Section, Michael received a call from Oversight.

"Hello Paul."

"Hello Michael. I'm calling for an update of the situation in Syria. I assume there were no anomalies and all went as planned?"

"Yes. We encountered very little resistance and achieved closure. Simmons got what we needed out of Omar before we disposed of him."

"Excellent. Glad to hear it Michael. There is one other thing. I see that Walter is on downtime. He just came back from 72 hours a few weeks ago. Is there something I should know about?"

Michael had expected Paul to catch on to Walter being on downtime so soon again and had prepared an answer that he hoped wouldn't raise Wolfe's suspicions.

"Walter requested some additional downtime now that his trainee is up to speed. It's been fourteen months since he's had any serious downtime, and I saw no reason to deny his request. Is there a problem with this?"

Paul paused, and then answered, "No, it just seemed a bit out of character for Walter to make such a request. Is there anything else I should know about?"

The answer to that question was quick and simple, "No."

"Fine then. You'll be hearing from me soon. Nice work in Syria."

"Thank you," Michael replied, and they both disconnected the call.

Chapter 13

Walter did follow Kim to the pub that night and planted as many cameras as he could. Kim had shown him the upstairs and her office, and he discreetly placed cameras there as well. Walter watched her interaction with the customers and smiled. She knew everyone and everyone knew her. She had made a good life for herself, and Walter said a silent prayer that Sully had found her and taken her in and cared for her. Walter shuddered at the thought of what could have happened to her if it had not been for Sully and quickly pushed the terrible thoughts from his mind.

Kim had introduced Walter as an old friend to some of the regulars, and Walter took this opportunity to find out a little bit more about Kimberly. By closing time, he had indeed collected a lot of information as to the friends she considered her extended family and how much she had come out of her shell since she arrived almost three years ago. He waited for Kim to lock up and then followed her home.

Once they arrived, Kim bid him a good night and walked up to her cottage. After making sure she was safely inside, Walter turned and went into Sully's house and up to his room. He threw his jacket on a chair and plopped down on the bed.

"Walter, I still can't believe this is happening" Walter heard thru his comm unit.

"I know kid. How is Michael dealing with this, really?"

"He seems the same. His expressions never change, he looks like, well, like Michael; nothing seems different about him."

"Only on the outside kid, only on the outside. He's got to be affected by all this, and we need to find out what happened to her not only for her sake but also for his. I can't shake the feeling that whatever did happen isn't over yet, and she's more vulnerable than ever, especially with a child."

"I know Walter. Nikita and Michael married and with a kid, it's still so hard to believe."

Walter chuckled and said, "Well amigo, I'm beat. Get some shut eye and I'll check in with Michael in the morning."

"Will do Walter, goodnight."

"Good night kid", and Walter removed his comm unit and clothes and slid into bed.

At Oversight...

Paul Wolfe, although thinking Michael's explanation of Walter's whereabouts seemed plausible, still had doubts. Having enormous resources available to him, he called Hillinger into his office.

"Mr. Hillinger, I need you to do a little digging for me. I want you to check on all missions pending at Section One, as well as a complete list of who is under surveillance right now. I don't have to remind you that Mr. Birkoff is very thorough and this needs to be handled discreetly."

"Yes sir. We've been working on a new ghost program. We will be able to get in and get what we need and get out without being detected," Hillinger answered confidently

"Estimate?" Wolfe inquired.

"We're in the final stages, should be operational by morning."

"Fine. This is priority and we can't afford to tip our hand." Wolfe said in a menacing voice.

Wolfe nodded, and Hillinger knew that this meeting was over. He turned and left the office and exhaled a large breath upon reaching his station.

Hillinger sat down and logged on to his computer and chuckled....."Seymour, I wouldn't want to be in your shoes when Michael finds out we slipped past your fail-safes my friend."

Chapter 14

Early the next morning, Hillinger strode into Paul Wolfe's office with a smile on his face.

"I assume you have something for me?" Wolfe inquired.

Hillinger placed a disk on Wolfe's desk. "Worked like a charm. We were in and out with no detection."

"Any anomalies that I should be aware of?"

"Yes sir. The last file on the disk."

"That will be all Hillinger. I'll let you know if I need something else."

Hillinger still smiling turned and left Wolfe's office.

Paul placed the disk on his panel and began to scan the files. Nothing unusual, everything was as it should be until he reached the last file. He opened the surveillance file and was stunned to see what Michael had been privately monitoring. He sat back in his chair and looked again at the scene before him and whispered one word...a word he had hoped to never speak again, a word that had caused him difficulties in the past, and a word that could threaten all that he had accomplished in the past three years...Nikita.

He reached for his cell phone and placed a call.

A man's voice answered, "Hello."

"It's me, we have a problem."

"What type of problem, yours or mine?"

"Both. Now listen very carefully. Three years ago, I sent you to remove a thorn in my side...."

The man interrupted, "We did, what's the problem now?"

"The problem is you didn't take care of it, and I don't have to tell you what the ramifications are if someone else gets a hold of her."

"I see." the other man said.

"I hope you do. I'm sending you what I have; get the job done. No mistakes this time, do you understand?"

"Yeah, I understand", and the line went dead.

Paul Wolfe stood and began to pace in his office. He reached in his pocket, withdrew a cigarette and lit it. He watched the bit of surveillance for a minute more and shook his head. "You should have stayed dead Nikita. This time I'll see to it myself," Wolfe whispered at the screen in front of him and then turned it off.

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

Julien Samuelle stood in front of a large bay window looking out at the night sky. He had many regrets in his life but also felt great pride for all his accomplishments. It was over thirty years ago that he created the Sections in the hope that the world would be a safer place from the evil that men do. It had been a hard life, a life of sacrifice and service and, although the moments seemed few and far between, a life filled with love. Monique, his wife of 42 years, had passed away two years ago, and those two years seemed like an eternity to Julien. Monique had always been by his side and supported him in ways she could have never imagined. She was a kind, loving woman and raised their two children to be just as kind and loving as she was.

Julien smiled as he remembered a family dinner five years ago. His daughter Sofia was home from college that weekend and his son Michael had also been able to visit. That dinner had been special in more ways than one for it was the last time the whole family was together. They laughed, ate, and enjoyed small talk and each other's company. Yes, it was a beautiful weekend.

When Sofia returned to school, Michael stayed an extra day to spend time with his father. Julien thought back to their discussions that day. Michael had lost Adam and Elena, but his eyes were filled with love as he spoke of a woman named Nikita. How Julien wished he could allow his son what he himself had. A wife and a loving mother to his children, a safe home filled with love and laughter, but sadly Julien could offer none of those things to his only son.

Michael had entered Section One with full knowledge that he would never again have a normal life. Whether it was out of a sense of duty or pride or foolishness, Michael accepted his fate with all its restrictions. Over the years, Julien could see that Michael desired more from life than he had with Section, but he could not interfere. As the head of Center, Julien only had a certain amount of leeway when it came to his eldest child and the life he led. He would stand in the shadows and offer support and assistance when he could, but the relationship between the two men had been kept hidden with one exception.

There were many things Julien had wished to give to his son but was unable to do so. When he found a communiqu‚ from Wolfe going to a corrupt contact named Ingo Fidlen who had ties to almost every terrorist group on the planet, he paid attention. After reading the communiqu‚ and learning that Nikita would be in play alone, he decided this time he must take action. Julien sent a small team to watch her movements once the mission started, and for the first three weeks things seemed to be moving along. Nikita had established contact in Los Angeles with the target, Stephen Rizzuto, as she was ordered to do, and had begun to earn his trust. After the third week things quickly went from bad to worse. The mission was a trap to flush out the target, but not for him to be detained or cancelled, but because Wolfe wanted to recruit Rizzuto into Section.

Nikita was ambushed, tortured and disposed of, or so they thought. Stephen had agreed to a mutually beneficial partnership with Wolfe, and Ingo had taken Nikita to a cliff in the hills to dispose of her body. Julien's team shadowed their every move and reported their findings back to him. When he was informed of what was about to happen to Nikita, he instructed his men to only slightly interfere and give Nikita a chance to escape. No matter how dire the circumstances were, Julien could not afford to let Wolfe know he was on to him.

The team created a small distraction, and Nikita used the distraction to roll away from Ingo, as she tumbled off the cliff. Seeing her inert body lying on the beach, Ingo was sure that she could not have survived and quickly left. It was daybreak and the shadow team was making their way to where Nikita was lying on the beach when a man approached her body. The team held their positions, as the man called for help, which came immediately.

Julien had the team follow them to the hospital and report back. When he realized that this gentleman appeared to have intentions of bringing Nikita to his home and caring for her, Julien thought it might be best to let her be. To the world she was dead, but to his son, the love of his life would be gone forever. This was the hardest fact for Julien to allow but it was a necessary evil, especially after learning that Nikita was carrying Michael's child. He vowed then to protect her and the child, and by letting the world believe her dead, she and the baby would be able to live a free life.

The phone rang and brought Julien out of his memories. "Yes."

"Wolfe found out about the girl. He hasn't learned of the child, but it's only a matter of time."

Julien was silent for a moment, and then replied, "Call Ovitz and tell him to be prepared to move the woman and child. They are to be brought here and no harm is to come to them. If they need to be sedated to safeguard them, then do it."

"Yes sir. What about the old man and the one she stays close with?"

Julien paused, "If he is with her and the child at the time you approach, take the appropriate action."

"Yes sir, I'll call you when we go live."

"Thank you," and he disconnected the call.

Julien returned to the window and sighed as he thought 'Michael, don't hate me for keeping this from you, but it was the only way to keep them safe.'

Chapter 15

The past five days that Walter spent with Kimberly and Michael had been a joy for him. He spent most of the day with them discussing possible leads that Birkoff had fabricated for him in order to ensure his cover as an 'old friend' remained intact.

It was Thursday night and Kim was going to work the downstairs bar for a sick employee and had dropped Michael off with Sully and Walter. The night passed like any other night, and she felt a little anxious to get home as they were leaving on a "family" trip to the mountains the next morning.

After all the employees had left, Kim locked up and walked out to her car in the parking lot. She heard a noise behind her and walked a little faster towards her car. As the sound of footsteps grew louder, she increased her pace to a jog heading towards the end of the lot where she had parked.

Reaching in her pocket, Kim quickly searched for her keys and pulled them out when she was hit from behind. The force of the blow to her back caused her to slam into the door of her car. She was grabbed by the shoulders and spun around. Kim was terrified as she looked into the face of the man who attacked her.

The man smiled and said, "Hello love. Long time no see."

Kim pleaded, "I don't have much money, but take it, take all of it, just please don't hurt me."

The man laughed, "I'm not interested in your money love. What I want from you has nothing to do with money."

Her heart raced even faster. Did he mean to rape her? Why her?? Why now??

"What is it you want?" She asked.

"You......to die," was his reply, as he struck her across the face and then punched her in the stomach.

Kim slipped down to the ground and was crying hard as her body was reeling in pain. The man picked her up and held her by the shoulder as he punched her in the face again. Her head bobbed from side to side and she felt on the verge of blacking out. He leaned in close and whispered, "Don't worry love, I'll do it right this time."

Kim choked out through her sobs, "Do what right?"

The man laughed and said in a menacing voice, "Why kill you love. I guess once wasn't enough, so I won't make the same mistakes again, " and Kim heard a click of a knife being extended.

He held the knife to her face, "It's a shame. You and me, we could've had some real fun, " as he ran the blade down her cheek and grazed the blade down her throat.

"It's not meant to be love, the boss doesn't like loose ends and is furious that you're still alive. But maybe we could have a little fun before you go, " as he leaned in and licked her cheek to her ear.

Kim sobbed louder and shivered in revulsion as she heard a muffled voice in her head say, "Focus. Never lose focus. Search out your opponents weak spots and strike when they least expect it."

Kim shook her head as if to wipe away the thoughts in her mind. Her attacker once again backhanded her and the voice in her head grew stronger, "Never show fear. Maintain control of your emotions. Allow your attacker to feel comfortable in his position of dominance as you calculate your next move. Strike hard and fast, the shock will give you the advantage in any fight."

Her attacker lowered the knife to his side and moved his body closer to Kim's, as he continued to lick her throat and slowly move down to her chest.

Maintaining her sobs, she waited until his head was below her chin and quickly turned and brought her knee up to the man's face. She then wrestled an arm free from his grasp and slammed her fist into his stomach causing him to double over in pain.

He charged at her midsection and the two fell back on the ground. They rolled back and forth seeking to gain the better position, landing punches as they went, when Kim eyed the knife on the ground not too far from where they were. Rolling on top of her attacker, she kneed him in the groin and swiftly rolled off him, grabbed the knife and stood in a defensive position with the knife in front of her.

The man rose to his feet and smiled. "Not quite the little lamb you pretend to be, are you NIKITA?"

Kim stood with her feet firmly apart, "My name is Kimberly, you've got the wrong person. Please, I won't tell anyone I saw you, don't hurt me." However, somewhere in the back of her mind, that other name felt like it belonged to her.

The man laughed. "Sorry love, I don't take requests", as he lunged at her.

The two fought for the knife and Kimberly again heard the voice in her head, "The closer your body is to your opponent, the better your advantage. It allows you to use your body to manipulate control of the situation. An elbow to the chin, a kick to the shin or a knee to the genitals will give you the seconds you need to make your move."

Kim kneed her attacker again and used the distraction to turn the knife and stab him in the stomach. He gasped as the knife entered his body, and he struggled to move her hands to remove the knife. Kimberly held on firmly, and his efforts only made the knife go deeper and move upwards.

With his eyes wide, her attacker slowly was losing consciousness and grabbed her shirt as he was losing his balance. With his last breath he whispered, "They'll get you Nikita, you can't hide forev....", and he fell to the ground.

Chapter 16

Kimberly stood back and looked at the man bleeding on the ground in horror. What had she done?? She had killed a man. She dropped to her knees sobbing loudly at the pain she felt all over her body and the pain in her heart for taking a life. She rocked back and forth on her knees as she cried and looked at her hands that were covered in a mixture of her own and her attacker's blood. As upset as Kimberly was, this scene was too familiar, and she knew without a doubt that she had been in this situation many times before.

The sight of the blood made her stomach churn, and she leaned to the side and emptied the contents of her stomach. While she was being sick, a car drove into the lot and right up to her. A man jumped out, rushed to her side, knelt down and asked her what happened. Upon looking up, Kim noticed he was in uniform and recognized it as that of a State Trooper.

She turned her face into the officer's chest and sobbed, as words were not coming easily to her in her present state of mind. The trooper used his CB unit to call for an ambulance and back up. He then tried to calm Kimberly down and find out what had happened. After a minute, she spoke in a shaky voice.

"I..I.. was coming out of the pub to...to...go home and he...he... thought I was someone else and.....and....attacked me."

The trooper asked her if the blood on her clothes was from the assailant or her own and if she needed medical attention. Kim looked over at the dead body on the ground and began to wail again. The trooper held on to her as two more cruisers pulled into the lot along with an ambulance. In an instant, there were people all over the place. The EMTs checked the body and confirmed that the assailant was indeed dead and then crouched down to where Kim sat on the ground and began to tend to her wound.

After assessing her injuries to be mostly superficial and not life threatening, the EMTs asked Kim if she wanted to go to the hospital to be checked out further, and she told them she just wanted to go home. The trooper that was first on the scene helped Kim up and walked her to his cruiser knowing she was in no condition to drive. He wrapped a blanket around her shoulders and helped her inside the car to drive her home.

Once the cruiser left the parking lot with Kim inside, one of the EMTs reached for his cell phone and made a call.

"Yes" a man's voice answered.

"They made an attempt tonight," replied the EMT.

"Is the area secure? Any casualties?"

"Yes the area is secure, housekeeping is on site and the body will be removed within thirty minutes. Ingo was the only casualty sir."

"And what of the woman?"

"She's shaken up, took a pretty good beating."

"Who cancelled Ingo?"

The EMT paused and said, "The woman sir. Ingo was already dead when we arrived at the scene."

"Where is she now?"

"Ovitz has taken her home. Team 2 is waiting for their arrival and we will move in to extract them."

"Very well. Provisions are in place for the child during the trip?"

"Yes sir, it's been taken care of."

"Fine. Notify me when you take off."

"Yes sir." and both men disconnected the call.

Julien, still holding the phone, closed his eyes and sighed. How he wished he could have prevented all this. After everything Nikita had endured at the hands of Section One and Paul Wolfe, it seemed that her suffering had not ended.

Julien walked over to his favorite spot at the window. Soon they would be brought to his home. They would be safe and protected and at least her physical suffering would end. What concerned him more was the emotional anguish still to come.

Julien was also aware that Michael had been monitoring Nikita from within Section and was pleased when he learned that Walter had made contact and was staying with her. Walter was a good man, the best. Julien had known Walter for over 25 years and the two men could not be more opposite, but they found a kinship in their differences that made them friends. Walter knew of the relationship between Julien and Michael and had assured his old friend that he would keep an eye out for Michael once he entered Section and had kept true to his word to this day.

Yes, it would be good to see his old friend again and, hopefully with Walter's help, Michael would see his father's motives for what they were and not assume the worst.

Chapter 17

Arriving at Kim's cottage, the trooper insisted on accompanying her inside. When she said she needed to check on her son and headed out the door towards Sully's home, he followed. When Kim entered Sully's cottage with blood on her face and clothes, Sully and Walter rushed towards her and hurled a hundred questions asking what had happened.

The trooper answered some of the questions as Sully and Walter walked Nikita over to the couch. He then stood in front of the three of them and advised that someone would be in touch to follow up with Kimberly about the attack and said he was glad he was able to help.

He then leaned down toward Kimberly, touched her shoulder and told her to get some rest. Before doing so, however, he had turned the ring on his finger around, and Kim flinched as it pricked her skin. He stood up and apologized saying he'd been meaning to have his ring fixed. Kim smiled and rubbed her shoulder as it started to tingle.

The trooper extended his hand to Sully, again turning his ring, and Sully pulled his hand back quickly as he felt the light stab. The trooper once more apologized and said he would be more careful. Walter looked at him and smiled, "I'd shake with you, but I think I'd rather not."

The trooper grinned and showed himself out of the house. Within minutes after he left, Kim and Sully were out cold. Walter knew then that something was going on and heard someone come in through the back door. It was the 'trooper' and as he approached Walter he said, "Julien sends his regards. I trust you will assist us with the child during transport."

Walter's mouth opened in shock, as he looked down to the pin on his jacket that was his hidden camera and back to the agent. "Sorry Walter, we've been jamming audio and visual communications since Nikita was attacked."

"Where are we going? Not back to Section." Walter said.

"No sir. The three of you are being transported to Center. You are to pack a bag for the child while we get Nikita and the child ready for transport."

Walter's eyes lit up, as he just now realized what the agent had said a minute ago, "Did you say Julien sends his regards?"

"Yes sir. My name is Ovitz. I've been here watching Nikita since she arrived shortly after her accident. I was sent by Julien to observe and protect them but things have changed now. It was decided they are no longer safe on the outside, and my orders are to bring them in."

"Well Ovitz, I can see that Julien can still pick em'. You do your thing, and I'll grab some things for the kid. How long till egress, and what about Sully?"

"Mr. Sullivan will remain here. He will be told that Kimberly and her son have been moved into protective custody for their safety. You now have ten minutes Walter, you better get a move on," and smiled as he left the room.

Walter went to Kim's house, grabbed a suitcase and filled it with all the baby clothes and toys he could get his hands on. As he was about to leave the room, he cursed when he saw the diapers, wipes and accessories on the changing table. He put down the suitcase, filled another bag with those items, and then picked up the bags and left.

He met up with Ovitz who was waiting for him by the back of an SUV, loaded the bags into the car and climbed inside. Walter looked into the back and saw Kimberly and Michael both buckled in and asleep.

"How long will they be out?" Walter asked.

"Nikita was tranquilized, the child was not. I assume he will wake up when we board the plane and that's where you come in Walter. The child will recognize you and you can distract him." Ovitz replied.

Walter gave him a curious look, and Ovitz smiled and offered, "We don't want to tranquilize the child unless it becomes necessary. From our surveillance, as well as your own, you know that he is a sound sleeper and should sleep through the night."

Walter looked out the window processing the last hour's events. His mind turned to Michael as he looked over at Ovitz. "What about Operations. You must know he's been monitoring if you knew I was here. Will he be told?"

"I'm not at liberty to discuss that with you Walter, you'll have to wait and speak with Julien. You know he is a private man who never divulges anything unless it is necessary" and that was the end of the conversation for the rest of the drive.

Walter smiled to himself and thought, "Like father, like son."

Chapter 18

Back at Section

Birkoff was frantically typing at Michael's desk in the Perch trying to ascertain what went wrong. The last images that Michael and he saw were Kim walking out of the pub after work, a shadowy figure following her in the parking lot, and then the screen went blank. Birkoff could tell that Michael was losing patience, as he had stopped pacing and was now standing over his shoulder.

Michael made Birkoff fearful and tense at the best of times, so to say that Birkoff was filled with panic at this moment would be an understatement! He had tried everything, checked the satellites, checked the connections, checked the mainframe and still could find absolutely no reason for the disruption of the signal. And to make matters worse, they had also lost contact with Walter.

"Where are we Birkoff? What happened to the signal?"

"Ah, I don't know Michael. Everything is working fine on our end but something is disrupting the signal from the point of origin."

"Reasons?" Michael inquired.

"I don't know. It doesn't make sense. Something is jamming all the incoming communications on this frequency but that's impossible." Birkoff sputtered.

"Obviously it is possible Birkoff, and I want to know who is doing this and why."

"I'll try and run a back trace and see if anything pops up, but beyond that there's nothing I can do Michael. I'm sorry."

Michael took a step back from Birkoff and then turned to step in front of the windows of the Perch. Birkoff looked up and felt that he had let Michael down. He had tried everything and still couldn't fix this problem. He walked over to Michael and said, "I'll let you know as soon as the trace is completed."

Michael did not reply and Birkoff took his leave. Michael sighed and closed his eyes. 'Not again. I can't fail you again Nikita, and now our son. Where are you? What has happened to you?'

Michael's fears were running rampant in his mind. 'Had Wolfe found out that she was alive? Where was Walter? Was he still with her? Were they safe?' He chastised himself for listening to Walter and staying away from her. He should have gone to her, taken her in his arms and loved her with every fiber of his being until she remembered him and their love. He had essentially left them alone and unprotected and the feelings of failure were threatening to consume him. The only woman to ever capture his heart and soul was gone again, and along with her the son he had never known.

Michael's rage was growing, as he tried desperately to remain calm. An overwhelming pain settled in his heart and he embraced it. He deserved the pain, deserved the anguish for he had failed again. 'How was it that he could succeed at so many things and fail so miserably at others?'

He was shaken out of his thoughts by the sound of footsteps approaching his office.

Simmons entered and approached him with a smile.

"I ran the simms on the Bonniere mission. I think we can get him when he arrives in Prague the day after tomorrow."

Michael took the PDA that Simmons had extended but couldn't bring himself to focus on the information. He handed the PDA back to Simmons and said, "Bring this to me when the mission has been profiled."

Simmons nodded, "I'll get this to Birkoff and have the profile back to you within the hour."

"NO. Birkoff is working on something else. Give it to Gail, she can handle it."

Simmons gave his superior a curious look and asked, "Michael, is everything alright? If I didn't know better, I would say that you actually look preoccupied?"

"Everything is fine. I'll expect the profile within the hour." and Michael turned away from Simmons and focused on the monitor on the wall.

Simmons took Michael's actions as a dismissal and swiftly left the Perch.