Nikita walked down the hall to her apartment. She just wanted to sleep. They had sent her on three missions in a row, in the last week she had gotten about eight hours sleep. As she reached her door she saw piece of paper taped to it. It was blank except for two lines of type. She lifted an eyebrow as she read it.

When I most I wink, then do mine eyes best see,
For all the day they view thing unrespected

'What is this?' She thought as she opened the door and put the paper on the counter. She was too tired to figure out a mystery right now. She went into the bedroom, fell on the bed, and was just drifting off when the phone rang.

"No" she moaned and threw a pillow at the phone. When it rang again she grabbed it roughly and put up to her ear. "Listen," she said. "I've had eight hours of sleep in the last week. For me to do what you want me to do I need rest. So tell me when the damm briefing is so I can get some sleep."

"Eight a.m." Michael's voice said over the phone. She couldn't tell but she thought she her a bit of amusement in it.

"Fine!" She said and dropped the phone. She laid back on the bed and fell asleep immediately.

The next day Nikita woke up and had to hurry not to be late for the briefing, so she had no time to think of the mysterious note. She was still tired during the briefing, so the only important thing that she learned was that the next mission would take about three days. When Operation said Dismissed, she got up and started to walk away when Michael caught up with her.

"Did you get much sleep last night? You still seem tired."

"I slept from when I hung up the phone to about twenty minutes ago. And yes I'm still a little tired, but don't worry Michael I won't let it interfere with the mission." She said a little bit of coldness before walking away. She was sure that's all he wanted to know.

Three days later she was walking down the hall again. She wasn't watching were she was going, all her attention was on getting some of the mud of her hair before it dried. The mission was a stakeout and pick-up, but on the last day their target spotted them and ran. She and another Operative had chased him, when they caught up there was a brief struggle which ended up with him unconscious and her laying in the mud. When she got to the door there was another note taped to it. Again it had two lines of verse typed on it.

But when I sleep, in dreams they look on thee,
And, darkly bright, are bright in dark directed;

She went into the apartment and put it next to the other. She was going to come back to them after she got a shower but the hot water felt too good and she went to sleep right afterwards. When she got up the next morning she looked at the two notes. There was nothing on them that would give away where they were from. Just two half sheets of paper with two typed lines on them. She didn't have any ideas of who was doing this or why.

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

The phone didn't ring, so she went out for awhile. When she opened the door to leave a white flash caught her attention. There was another one, this time with four lines.

Then thou whose shadow shadows doth make bright,
How would thy shadow's form form happy show
To the clear day with thy much clearer light,
When to unseeing eyes thy shade shines so!

She put with the others and left. It was a nice day out side and she decided to walk around the park. She sat on the swings along the river. She tried to keep her mind on other things but they kept coming back to the notes. Who sent them, why? she went through all the people she knew. Even briefly toyed wit the idea that it was a stalker, but she didn't think so. It had to be some one in Section, didn't it? She didn't really know any one else. She didn't see how it could be a test, but with Section you never knew. She was still thinking about it went she went home, to find another one.

How would (I say) mine eyes be blessed made
By looking on thee in the living day,
When in dead night thy fair imperfect shade
Through heavy sleep on sightless eyes doth stay?

That was it! She was going to find out who was doing this, and who better to find out something like this then the most covert anti-terrorist organization on the planet. She went to Section and for the first time hoped that her apartment was under surveillance. She went to Madeline's office and knocked on the door.

"Come in." The door opened and Madeline looked up as Nikita walked in. She tried to think of a reason that Nikita would come here for but couldn't. "Nikita have a seat." she said

"No, I just have a question."

"And what would that be?"

"Is my apartment under surveillance?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"I don't really, I just want to know if it includes the hallway outside my apartment?"

"Why?"

"Cause something's going on in the hallway and I want to know who's doing it."

Madeline stared at her. She sensed that it wasn't a lie, but it wasn't the truth either. After a moment more she gave her an answer. "Usually when we observe someone it's limited to the inside of where they live. Sorry"

"Thanks." 'Okay' she thought 'If they don't have cameras there, I'll put them there myself.'

As she left Madeline briefly wondered if they should put surveillance outside Nikita's apartment, but decide if it was that important Nikita would have said something. What ever it was Nikita could handle it.

Nikita was on her way to Walter's area when she encountered Michael.

"Hello, Nikita."

"Hi, Michael."

"What are you doing here?"

"What, aren't I just allowed to be here?"

"Nikita, I was-" He stopped and just stared at her for a few seconds before turning on his heels and walking back into his office. Nikita watched him go and when he got to the door, reach behind him and give it a pull to shut it. His blinds were already closed, so she couldn't see him at all.

Michael sat at is desk, with his hands on his face. He didn't know what he was thinking. He had almost asked her if she wanted to go out.

They were just getting back to where they were comfortable with each other. It was too soon do try anything, she'd just be suspicious of anything that he asked.

After watching for a minute Nikita went to Walter. He was bent over his worktable working on some new device.

"Hey Walter."

"Nikita." No glare and he was talking to her, that was improvement.

"Walter, I-" she froze mid-sentence. She had apologized a hundred times already, there was nothing else she could do. She looked down at her hands. Walter sighed.

"What do you want Nikita?"

"I need a small camera to go outside my apartment. It can't be obvious and I need a monitor for inside."

"Why?"

"Someone's putting things on my door and I want to know who."

He deliberated weather or not to give it to her. He sighed again and went into his storage area. He brought it back and gave it to her. She put it in her bag.

"Thank you." She turned to leave when she saw Michael standing behind her

"We have a briefing in two hours."

"Do I got enough time to go home quickly?"

"If you hurry."

She Hurried.

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

When she got there was two pieces of paper taped to her door, one had a violet with it. It finished the sonnet.

All days are night to see, till I see thee,
And night's, bright days, when dreams do show me thee,

She looked at the next one. It looked like the beginning of another sonnet.

When disgrace with fortune and men's eyes,
I all alone beweep my outcast state.
And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries,
And look upon myself and curse my fate,

She walked inside and put them on the counter with the others. So she had one and a half sonnets and a violet. She took the camera out of her bag intent on finding out who her poet was when her phone rang.

"Yes"

"The briefing been moved up, get here now." She hung up and put the camera on the counter and left.

This time when Nikita came down the hallway after the debriefing, she was limping. She had twisted her ankle when she fallen on those ridiculous high heels that Madeline made her wear. She just stared at her door. She didn't know if this was bad or good. Her poet was leaving gifts now. Taped in the shape of a heart, was a necklace with a gold key on it. Inside the heart was the next part of the sonnet.

Wishing me like to one more rich in hope,
Featured like him, like him with friends possessed,
Desiring this man's art this man's scope,
With what I most enjoy contented least.

She walked in to her apartment and admired the necklace. It was a very nice necklace. It didn't have a chain, but a black cord that felt like silk. The key was about the size of a normal key but it looked like something from the eighteenth century, you know one of those that had the hole at the top and a long stem with two spokes at the end. It was kind of neat looking. She went into her bedroom put it on the dresser.

Then she set about to install the camera that Walter had given her.

For the next three days, she watched and waited, and waited and waited. Nothing happened. Of course she never left the apartment. She went for a walk thinking that he might leave something then. She stayed away for an hour and a half to be sure. When she went back there was a note on her door, this time it had daisy pasted to the corners of the paper

Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising,
Haply I think on thee, and then my state.
Like to the lark at break of day arising
From sullen earth, sings hymns at heaven's gate;

She took the paper from the door, when she did, the light when through it and showed her that there was writing on the other side of this one. She flipped it over.

Daisy are like you; always bright and radiant and bringing joy to every one who see them.

She put this with the one next to the one with the violet and stared at all of them for a second, then her eyes went to the monitor for the camera. A small smile came to her face as she thought about finding out who was doing this. She got up and rewound the tape. She hit play and watched for a bit, till she saw herself leave. She leaned in closer to see better, what happened next left her gasping in shock.

This wasn't happening , this couldn't be possible. She couldn't believe this! It was impossible.

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

A couple of minutes after she left the apartment she could see a shadow coming down the hall and just when he would have been in view, the tape ran out! To solve this problem she would have to get something from Walter. She went into Section without bothering to put the tape back in. She stopped outside Walter' area, took a deep breath, then entered. Again he was leaning over the workbench working on something.

"Um, Walter?" He looked up "Hello, Su-Nikita." She smiled a little, he almost called he Sugar. Maybe he was starting to forgive her. "Do you need something?" He asked

"Yeah, um that camera that you gave me, do you have a device that will make the monitor record when there movement in the cameras view?"

"I was wondering when you'd ask for that?" He went back into the storage area to get it. "Here it is."

"Thanks Walter." She started to leave when she passed Birkoff's area.

"Hey, Nikita" he said. "cool necklace, who's got the other half?"

She looked down at the necklace that she was wearing, it was the one her poet gave her

"What other half?" she asked.

"Well, you've got the key. Who's got the heart?"

"Birkoff, what are you talking about?"

"You don't know, do you?" When she shook her head he went on. "That necklaces has two parts, A key and a heart. The heart has a key hole in it for the key. It's symbolic, you know, you've got the key to someone's heart. So who has the heart?"

"I don't know." she said and went on to tell him what was happening, all the way up to why she was here now.

"Well tell me how it turns out." he said and went back to work.

Nikita left and went to install the device that Walter give her. Again she waited, this time for only one day. She went out to rent a movie and when she came back this was on the door. She tried not to laugh at what was attached to it this time. Boxing in the words were four different pair of sunglasses.

For thy sweet love remember'd such
That then I scorn to change my state with kings.

She walked over to the monitor, she hoped that it worked this time.

She hit play and watched. She saw herself leave. She saw someone being shown Carla's old apartment. Then she saw someone walked up to her door, tape up a piece of paper, then tape the sunglasses to it and leave. She had no idea who it was!

Now what did she do? For some reason she thought that after she found out who it was that it would be over. She sat staring at the screen, it was paused on the man. He didn't look like a stalker, he didn't look like some one from Section. He looked like just as ordinary guy.

Of course she learned that no one was ordinary.

"Okay" she thought "Looks like I'll just have to talk to him."

The next day she waited outside her apartment. sure enough, the guy came walking up. She waited in till he was done and about to leave when she came up behind him, put her hands on his shoulders, and spun him around. He was quite startled..

"Um,.....hi." he said with a shaky voice.

"Hi" she said back. She looked at him, he seemed scared to death. "So, who are you and why are you putting these on my door?"

"I ....um...I-I-I" Nikita was starting to get annoyed. She grabbed the guy by the shirt and slammed him into the door.

"Spit it out!"

"Someone paid me to!"

"What?"

"A couple of days ago I was sitting at a coffee shop down the street and this guy came over and said if I did this he'd give me three hurdled dollars for every note. I didn't see anything wrong with it so I said sure." Nikita took a deep breath and let out slowly.

"Okay, what did he look like?"

"He was nondescript."

"Nondescript?"

"Yeah, average. There was nothing extra-ordinary about him."

Nikita didn't concentrate on the hint of disappointment that went though her. She thought for a moment.

"How does he give you the next note?"

"I go to that shop everyday. He shows up whenever he had one."

"Okay this is what we'll do, for the next couple of days I'll go to the shop and be out of site. When he shows up you give me a signal and I'll come over. Okay?"

"Sure, whatever you want."

A couple of days later she was sitting in the shop, when she saw a man walk up to Kevin, the note taper guy. He gave her the signal and she came over and dropped into the chair next to the new comer. He looked between Nikita and Kevin and then back to Nikita.

"Uh, oh"

"Uh, oh is right" Nikita said "Now, before I get mad tell me why you're giving him these sonnets to put on my door?" What he said made Nikita put her hear in her hands and groan in frustration

"Someone paid me to."

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

Two weeks, three sonnets and five messenger later Nikita sat on her couch dejectedly. Finding out who her poet is was getting harder then most missions they sent her on. She had the key necklace on and was thinking of giving up when there was a knock on her door. It was Kevin.

"Hey, Kevin. Another one?"

"Yeah, but I think you might like this one."

"Why?"

"It's got direction with it. Oh here's the gift." he handed her a gold bracelet with the words 'My Heart' on it. She took them from him. On one side of the paper it was the next poem, on the other side was some directions.

I don't have the courage to tell you how I feel
So I sit and watch whenever your near

Go to the coffee shop on the corner. She went there and met Tim, Kevin's contact.

"Hey, Tim."

"Nikita, here you go." He handed her a violet rose with a note around the stem.

When you catch me staring I say I'm dreaming

Meet Jim, the third messenger, three blocks north and two east. She started down the street as dusk was settling on the city. When she got there he walked up to her. "Hi" She just stared at him.

"What now?" she asked.

"Follow me." He started walking down the street, till he came to a van, a regular van, "Get in" he said and opened the back door. She got in and sat down. Jim got in and started driving. she started to get in the front but he told her that she had to stay in the back. After about ten minutes he stopped.

"We there?" she asked

"Um, ...no." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a blindfold.

"You have to put this on."

"You've got to be kidding!"

"No" He walked over to her and put it on. then he went back into the front and began to drive. Nikita wasn't sure but she thought that he went in circles for about five minutes. After about twenty minutes of not turning, he stopped again. She heard the sliding door open and she started to take the blindfold off.

"NO! You can't take it off yet."

"Why NOT!?"

"You jus- you just can't, okay."

"No, it's not okay" she said but didn't take it off. He stepped into the van and helped her out. hey walked a little bit when they stopped

"Wait here for a second."

"What now." she said when he had been got for a minute. She heard movement and he was back. He took her arm to lead her forward a couple of steps.

"Here, get on this." She reached forward to feel what 'this' was. All she felt was a seat of some kind. She had a suspicion what this was but it was what Jim said next that sealed the suspicion

"Here," he said "Let me put your helmet on" He put it on over the blindfold, after he secured the strap, he disappeared a moment then got on the motorcycle in front of her. It started up and began to move, she wrapped her arms around him to keep from falling off.

With her sight impaired Nikita couldn't tell which direction that they were going. It also made it hard to tell how much time was passing but she did know that it was a long time. Finally they stopped, the motorcycle was turned off and he got up. After a second he took her hand to help her. He lead her away from the motorcycle, after a couple of yards he stopped and lifted her arm and placed it on something. Her hand grasped it and felt that it was a chair.

"Okay" she said, letting him know that she understood. He put his hands on her shoulder and moved her so she could sit down. Her hands went to the strap but he stopped her. All of a sudden she got the feeling that the guy driving the motorcycle wasn't Jim. She took a deep breath and wondered what would happen next. She could hear him moving around, but couldn't tell what he was doing. Then his hands were undoing her strap and lifting the helmet off, then the blindfold.

She looked around and gasped. They were on a cliff overlooking the city, and she was seated at a candle lit table set for two. On her plate was all of the last poem.

I don't have the courage to tell you how I feel
So I sit and watch whenever you are near
When you catch me staring I say I'm day dreaming
But I leave out that I'm dreaming about you

She could sense him standing behind her, but she didn't turn around.

His hands were lightly massaging her shoulders. She took another deep breath and held it.

"What now?" she asked

"What ever you want." She released the breath in a rush when she heard the slightly accented voice the she wanted to hear.

Michael walked around to the chair across from her and sat down. Nikita smiled when she saw what he was wearing, he had on his usual black pants but his shirt was bright blue. Hanging from his neck was the other half of the necklace. She stared at it and when Michael noticed this he got an apprehensive look on his face. She got up and walked over to him, and took it from around his neck. Michael closed his eyes and let out a sigh, think that this was what she wanted.

A moment later he opened his eyes when he felt her lightly kiss him on the lips. He saw that she was now wearing the heart, he looked down to see that she put the key around his neck. He looked at her and let out a suddering breath at the smile she had on her face. He smiled back at her then he got up and pulled her to him for a deeply passionate kiss.

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

After they broke the kiss, Michael held out her chair so she could sit down again. Then he walked over to another table and brought over the food. They talked about everything but Section.

“What now?” She asked after they had finished eating.

“I told you what ever you want.”

“And if I said dancing?” Michael smiled and reached into his pocket and pulled our a remote, clicked a button and slow music was hear coming from somewhere. Nikita let out a laugh.

“Prepared for everything?”

“Of course.” He got up and came around to her and extended his hand.

She took it and stood up. He pulled her close to him, with his arms around her waist and her arms around his neck, her head rested on his shoulder. They danced like that for three song. As each song ended she would pulled away and he would pulled her back to him

“I’m not letting you go.” He’d whisper in her ear and she’d settle back against him.

“Michael,” Nikita asked as the song ended “why did you do this?”

“I didn’t think that you would believe me if I just told you. And with the sonnets I could tell you how I felt without you thinking it was a manipulation.”

“Okay, but what with all different messenger?”

“I saw you get the camera from Walter. So, do you like my gifts?”

“I fell the same way about your gifts as I do about you.”

“And what way is that?”

“I love them.” she said as the next song started and she leanded into him and started dancing again. Michael rested his head against hers and whispered into her hair.

“I love you too.”

End

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