Nikita banged her glass of Scotch on the bar table with a large thud. She was so tired of the life she was leading. She felt like a ghost trapped between heaven and earth. Destined to walk in a trail of loneliness forever. "Hit me again," she growled to the bartender. Nikita's head began to swirl as the affects of the Scotch took over that she barely even notice Michael slide into the seat beside her.

"What are you doing here?" he said quietly.

"I came for a little drink or does the Section condone even that."

"This won't take the loneliness away Nikita."

"And what do you know of loneliness Michael?" she hissed. "You, whose heart is made of stone. This has been a very nice chat but I don't need your company or advice." And with that she paid the bill and left.

The cold air stung her face as she closed the door to the bar. She had felt so warm while she had been in there. It was probably the Scotch she thought with a smile, but her thoughts kept coming back to Michael. He was the only one that could take the loneliness away and make her feel like a real person. She clenched her hand into a fist in an attempt to make her thoughts about Michael disappear. Nikita had made up her mind that she would never let him hurt her with his lies again.

She could feel the despair overtake her and not knowing why she began to make her way to the park. She had come here a thousands times before to think but this time it was different. As she crossed the bridge her eyes were drawn immediately to the mighty river below. It had over flooded every summer since she had been a child. The people of the city would always mobilize to build sand bags for the banks to stop the flooding, but it was always to no avail. In a sense Nikita believed that she was like the river. Section One had used every tactic they had known to break her spirit and mold her into a killer, but she had somehow been able to keep her soul. How fitting she thought as she stood on top of the bridge that this river would be the single thing that would free her from them.

Nikita could feel her feet leaving the bridge when all of the sudden two strong arms wrapped around her waist. "No!" she cried. "Let me go Michael!" In a instant she found herself on the bridge looking directly into Michael's questioning stare.

"What were you doing?" he said with concern.

Tears began to flow down her pale skin. "I want to be free Michael," she said. "I don't want to be alone anymore. I want to feel like I'm alive."

Michael gently wiped the tears away from her face.

"Nikita, I want you to listen to me. You can't spend your life wishing for things that you can't have. You were given another chance at life that most people would kill for. Don't waste it."

Michael looked deep into Nikita's eyes with his penetrating stare, but he could see that he was having little effect on her. He realized that he had to tell her how he felt about her. Hiding his feelings from her to protect her from the Section was useless now.

"Nikita," he said quietly. "I need you. Your love makes me a far better person than I was before. I wouldn't have been able to go on after Simone's death if it hadn't been for you. Please don't leave me now." He then lovingly bent down and kissed her gently on the lips.

Nikita knew then that she wouldn't be alone anymore. No matter what lies Michael told her or what obstacles the Section put in their path they would always be together.

"Come on" he said. "I'll take you home.”