The door was shut, and that was all that mattered. Nikita stared at it's wood as the knock droned on.

"Michael, go away." Nikita said with a simple strong voice as she rubbed the ridge between her eyes.

The mission had been draining, and now, Michael insisted on making the effects continue. Nikita wanted to know the meaning of Madeline's orders and wanted have a deeper understanding of the events that had occured herself. Allowing Michael in now, would not give Nikita that time.

"Nikita, I want to talk." Michael says through the heavy door, which makes his voice even sound more deep and mysterious. Nikita stood against that door, with less than an inch separating the two, and leaned against it's coldness.

"Go away, Michael." Nikita says firmly as she turns her head away from the door, to afraid to think of whom stands on the other side. Since he had returned and the debrief, Nikita had easily regretted obeying Madeline's orders.

Nikita moves away from the door as she hears the keys wrestle out of Michael's pocket. She moves into the heart of her new livingroom and turns her back on the entering Michael.

"There are some things we must discuss." Michael says as he closes the wooden door with a soft click that echoes in Nikita's mind.

"I thought only my trainer had the keys to my apartment." Nikita says as she stares at the white wall standing firmly infront of her, but playing back the shadows of the game that was afoot in her apartment.

"You are my material, Nikita." Michael says softly as he pockets the keys in his long black trench coat.

"Your mistaken, I am Jurgen's material." Nikita says as she turns back around and stares at Michael firmly. Michael turns his head to the side for a moment, unsure of how to take this statement. He looks back at Nikita and turns to make his exit.

"When your finished playing games, we can talk." Michael says as he looks back at her as he opens the wooden door.

"I won't finish playing games until you finish." Nikita says as she lifts her chin up firmly and establishes a cold stare, whom she learned off of Michael.

The door closes as Nikita's eyes close. She knew how to push one of Michael's buttons, and that alone rocked her very soul.

Michael walked silently down the hallway, uncertain of what to take from that short exchange. Nikita was playing something, but Michael wasn't sure why she was playing. He wasn't going to allow Nikita to win this game.

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

Walter picked up another gun, logged it back in on the computer and walked down the rows of guns to place it back in it's home. He turned and glanced at the hump of blonde hair sitting next to one of the tables. Her fingers were extended, playing with some imaginary piece of something. They twirled around and strummed the table softly.

Before, Walter would have just counted that as a normal Nikita thing, but something about this movement today called out that it was different. She seemed different and Walter couldn't help but feel the strong bad vibes that were around Section on this day.

"Walter... do you have the stock for Mission 456?" Michael asks as he enters. Walter looks at Michael and is surprized as Nikita's head does not even bob towards his voice.

"Let me see..." Walter says, fully knowing he already pulled it, but wanting to see what else would unfold. He would never admit it, but he would much rather have Madeline's job over this.

"Hello, Nikita." Michael says as he continues to stand at the doorway.

"Hello, Michael." Nikita responds without looking back up at Michael. Her eyes look to the side as she feels the closeness of Michael, but not wanting him to see her anger.

"I was wondering if you would like to go out for coffee when I return." Michael says as he turns his head away from looking at Nikita. Walter stands behind a shelf, pretending to go through guns as he is surprized by Michael's open move to reach out to Nikita.

"If you return." Nikita says firmly, not moving her head, continuing with her finger's movements.

"Is that a yes?" Michael asks now looking out to the hallway.

"No." Nikita says simply. Walter grabs the bag of supplies and walks out to Michael.

"Here you go..." Walter says as he hands the guns over to Michael. He looks at Nikita and walks away without another word. Walter moves to the table as Nikita lifts her head and looks at the retreating Michael.

"What is that all about?" Walter asks as he leans down to the girl.

"Nothing, Walter." Nikita says as she stands up and kisses Walter's cheek. Almost making her patent get away from Walter, Nikita turns to move away, but Walter has grasped Nikita's arm. Nikita looks firmly into his eyes as he pulls her head down.

"I don't know what game you are playing with him, but I wouldn't mess around with him." Walter whispers firmly.

"Walter, I'm not playing a game. But he believes my life is his game." Nikita says and she quickly leaves.

Walter shakes his head. This was going to be a bad one. He wonder if Madeline knew of this new hostility. He pondered for a moment on telling Madeline, and then decided against it. No reason to push the love between those two further apart.

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

Madeline walked down the hall, lost in her thoughts. She had watched from the observation office the leaving of the current priority mission that she personally assigned to Michael and Nikita. They way they acted bothered her. It more than bothered her, it worried her.

Madeline, being so caught up in her thoughts, runs directly into the firm body of Walter. Yet, still with that contact with Walter, Madeline is too deep in thought.

"Are you all right?" Walter asks for the third time before Madeline looks at Walter's eyes.

"Yes.... Walter, have you noticed a change in Michael and Nikita?" Madeline asks as she continues down the hall, and Walter, like the Section puppy, tags along.

"They are really having it out... I would say they are out to see who can hurt whom the most." Walter says, surprized that Madeline does not realize this.

"That can't be so. I sent them on this mission because of the bond you and I both very well know exists between the two." Madeline says firmly as she stops in the hall and looks at Walter.

"Madeline, this has been going on since the psychic mission. I can't see any bond between the two anymore." Walter says as he looks at Madeline. "Haven't you watched any of their tapes?"

"No. I thought they had moved on with the relationship they had established." Madeline says as she turns back and heads down the hall from the way she was coming from. Walter, again, the Section puppy, tags along.

"Madeline, if this mission hinges on a connect between those two, and you haven't told either... better get the two body bags ready." Walter says in a deep and serious voice. For the first time in over eight years, Walter sees Madeline's eyes raise in complete and utter worry. She turns the corner and looks at the computer center.

"Birkoff... abort the mission!" Madeline orders and Birkoff looks over at Madeline in surprize.

"Madeline... it hasn't even started!" Birkoff complains.

"I said abort the mission." Madeline says firmly. Birkoff turns in his chair and establishes the line to the about to leave van.

"Abort mission... say again.. Abort the mission." Birkoff says and then he looks at Madeline.

"It's Madeline's orders... abort the mission." Birkoff confirms. Madeline wonders which operative questioned the order.

"Who complained?" Madeline asks.

"Both." Birkoff says and he turns back to his computer to continue with the procedures to completely abort the mission.

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

Michael opens the door and Nikita stomps out of the van.

"It's your fault... I bet it was an uncomplete profile." Nikita says firmly as she walks down the hallway.

"Don't question my part.... We must know that it is your unrulely emotional state that caused this." Michael says firmly back, feeling the fire stirring in his body. He wanted to slam her against the wall and break this current funk that Nikita was in. He wanted to knock some sense into her, and wanted to find his old Nikita back.

"At least I have an emotional state.. maybe that is way I like Jurgen!" Nikita hollers back as she turns left into the main hallway.

"Jurgen didn't teach you a thing... he was a no good trainer.. the sooner you learn that the sooner you will be off!" Michael argues.

"It's good to know that... now I know why you caused this abort... you weren't trained right... all Jurgen could teach you was that damn blank stare... guess what, he showed me it too!" Nikita argues back as they now come in view for most of Section. Both operatives are walking quickly and bumping into other operatives with no worries at all.

"Why the abort?" both operatives say angerily as they see Madeline and Walter standing next to each other. Madeline looks at Walter and walks over to the two.

"Timing was off sequence." Madeline says firmly, and Nikita rolls her eyes, sure that Madeline is just covering for Michael, while Michael turns his head slightly, sure that Madeline didn't like Nikita's mood.

"You two will work this out... now." Madeline says as she looks at the two. Immediately, both look away from each other. She looks back at Walter and pauses. "Michael... you know the room.. I suggest the both of you work this out.. you are required to work together." Madeline says and she turns sharply, like a soldier and walks down the hall. Michael and Nikita start walking towards the room.

"Yeah... you know this room.... Jurgen made an impression on you pretty good there." Nikita says as she walks down the hall swinging her arms like she use to when she first arrived.

"I made the impression on him." Michael says firmly. He could not believe Nikita didn't realize the real reason for that. She had to know. Maybe she did know... and she thought Jurgen should have won. Michael began to doubt what Nikita had been doing. Maybe she did exactly what Madeline said because it was orders.

"You couldn't touch him... he still had a soul." Nikita says and Michael opens the door with hate running through his viens.

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

The door slammed shut and the stare down started. Nikita took residence on the left hand side, and Michael the right. They started to circle, first clockwise, and then counterclockwise.

"I'm sick of you talking about Jurgen." Michael hisses out as he stares at Nikita directly between her eyes.

"I'm sick of you acting like nothing ever happened!" Nikita hisses back with a snarl of anger. Michael's face started to turn red.

"We are to work this out... this isn't doing that." Michael says in a voice that Nikita takes as an order.

"I don't have to listen to you in here... remember.. your not my trainer!" Nikita fires back as she squats and leaps across the invisible divider. Her nails come down across Michael's face, and leaves his steaming upset.

Michael pulls her shoulder and heaves her lean body against the padded wall. Nikita quickly stands back up and the two continue in their circling pattern.

Faint lines are now bubbling on Michael's face, and although he can feel them, he ignores them and concentrates on knocking sense into Nikita. Finally, she doesn't circle quickly enough and Michael grabs her arm. He flips her over quickly and is about to say something as Nikita, using her street sense, kicks her leg straight inbetween the apex of Michael's legs. He stumbles backwards.

"Anything is far in war." Nikita hisses as she pulls her body up from the floor. She rolls a sore shoulder back and waits for Michael to move again. He quickly shakes it off, and charges Nikita. He is soon slapping and then punching Nikita's face. He pushes her against the wall, and then throws her down across the room.

"Nikita... are you alright?" Michael asks softly as he sees her not moving. He didn't really want to hurt her. He approached her and reached a hand out, but Nikita quickly grabbed and with one lightening fast movement, flipped him against the wall.

Back and forth they continued, both bloody from their own blood and the blood of the other. Michael would think that he had the upper hand and somehow, Nikita would sucker him in.

Finally, Nikita grabs Michael throat in her hands and starts to choke him. Soon, Michael quickly establishes his hands on Nikita's. Both are too stubborn to call out. Nikita squeezes tighter as Michael squeezes tighter. And when Michael squeezes tighter, then Nikita squeezes tighter.

"ENOUGH!" Madeline roars as the two begin to sway from the lack of oxygen. The door is slammed open, and Walter walks in and physically separates the two. Nikita collapses against the right wall and holds her throbbing neck as Michael does the same against the left wall.

"Michael... your office... Nikita... my office." Madeline orders and she watches the two stumble out of the white padded room. She looks at Walter and sighs loudly.

"I was hoping other activities were going to occur." Madeline states outloud and Walter turns his head away.

"Do you want Medlab to look them over?" Walter asks as he notices the drops of blood throughout the white room.

"Michael will take care of himself... I will see to Nikita." Madeline says and she, herself walks out of the room, wondering where exactly did she go wrong.

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

"Nikita... you are bleeding on yourself." Madeline says as she enters the office, about twenty minutes after separating the two operatives. In her own anger, for the foolish acts that Madeline, herself, caused, walked it off before returning to her office and the situation at hand.

Nikita just sits, allowing the blood to roll down out of her nose, over the lip, to join the blood from the mouth, down her chin. Only her eyes looked at Madeline. Her throat is covered with deep red marks, and very defined Michael's fingers.

"Head back." Madeline orders as she walks to the girl and tilts the head back, to insure that the bleeding will stop. Madeline grabs the towels on her desk and starts to clean Nikita's face. "I must say, I am surprized that you lasted that long." Madeline says as she pours some water out of her bottled water onto the towel. Nikita's shoulders pull up in a whince of pain as the water enters the cut on Nikita's high cheek.

"Can you speak?" Madeline asks as she places Nikita's hand on the towel, right underneath the nose and tilts Nikita's head to a level place. Madeline walks in front of Nikita and sits on the front part of her desk.

Nikita swallows several times, in severe pain, but blank stares Madeline.

"Barely..." Nikita musters out and Madeline just shakes her head slightly.

"You will go home... take a few days off... I hope in this time you will think of what has occured... and tell me why I shouldn't cancel you both." Madeline says.

"You would have let us do it then." Nikita remarks in the barely hearable whisper, but still in her smart come backs.

Walter walks into Michael's office as the man is slamming the drawers in at his desk.

"Aren't you externalizing emotions too much, Michael?" Walter asks softly and Michael stops his movements.

"I'm looking for my tea." Michael says in a whisper, just a bit louder than Nikita's.

"I hid it before you got here.... that stop at the bathroom did you in." Walter says as he sits down in a chair. Michael's face is battered, but cleaned. His throat, also showing the deep redness like Nikita's only from her hands.

"What do you want?" Michael asks and Walter chuckles at the swollen eye.

"The last lady who did that to you was Madeline... you did quite a number on Nikita." Walter says slowly.

"She needed to be given a lesson." Michael chokes out.

"Maybe you needed the lesson. She isn't no one's material... she is Nikita... and the sooner you understand that.. the sooner you will understand what Madeline has tried to do for you." Walter says as he stands up softly in his sandels and walks to the door. "Here... I suggest you share the wealth." Walter says, throwing the box of tea towards Michael.

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

Nikita sits upon her futon, holding ice to her swollen lip as she watches the television flip images infront of her. Her head pounds, and she aches to sleep, but the pain is to great.

Nikita is not surprized by the knock. She automatically stands up, turns the nob and walks back to the futon.

Michael enter and shuts the door. He keeps his long black trench coat on as he looks at Nikita, who has stretched out her body on the futon.

"Nikita... I brought some tea that will help..." Michael says, with a stronger voice, but still quite strained voice. Nikita turns her head, and Michael sees the extent of the damage he inflicted.

"I...want you to go." Nikita says in the same strained voice heard in Madeline's office. She continues to hold the ice on her mouth and turns her head back away from Michael.

"Nikita, I am not under orders. I want to know how you are." Michael says as he places the box of tea on the counter and moves in after Nikita.

"I'm fine. A bit damaged, but fine." Nikita says without looking at Michael.

"Can you say that to me?" Michael challenges with a stronger voice. Nikita turns her head and meets Michael's eyes.

"I'm fine. A bit damaged, but fine." Nikita strains out, but her eyes do not once waver from the eyes of Michael's.

"You are bruising." Michael says, seeing his fingers outlined around her neck.

"You are using make-up." Nikita observes before she turns her head back away. Michael turns to leave but decides to head back to Nikita. He pulls something out of his pocket and places it on Nikita's stomache.

"What is this?" Nikita questions a bit stronger.

"Just press down when you need me... I'm never more than five minutes away." Michael says as he lightly touches the sore and bruising chin of Nikita's. He pauses in a thought and then quickly leaves.

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

Tears are no longer held back. Only seconds after that door at closed, as Michael allowed himself back into the dull and empty hallway, tears errupted on Nikita's face. They burned the cuts, but that made the tears more real.

The ice had dropped out of her hand five minutes earlier as Nikita now paced the room. Thoughts ran through her body, and they were visibly seen as she thought of them.

Yet, they weren't all of Michael. Nikita pondered many aspects of her life. She, only for a few minutes, thought of herself like her mother. Nikita's mother would wait for the current boyfriend to come to her apartment and make everything correct. But they all left, most by the time the sun rose the next day. Nikita could not help thinking that in some odd and twisted way, she had become her mother. Of course, the only person her mother killed was the spirit of the young and intelligent Nikita. The Nikita before she headed off to the life on the streets.

For a few moments, Nikita regretted even getting out of the suicide mission. Had Section known how close she was to pulling the trigger herself, they could have spared them the problems and now this mess with Michael. They were forcing Nikita to change in order to match up with Michael, the glorified one, the next in line. Nikita resented this fact.

She faced out the french doors and looked at the gently night outside. Even in her own apartment, she was trapped. The only time since she was in Section that she felt even close to free was with Michael. Even when Section believed her to be dead in the suicide mission, that wasn't freedom. Freedom was being with Michael in that special way they had shared for two nights. In those two nights, Nikita had confirmed the reason why she hasn't taken her own life yet.

Nikita paced, seeing the life that she even had in Section was tumbling around her. She was lost, and could no longer take it. For the second time, Nikita walked to her computer, and like the time before the suicide mission, she typed her suicide note.

Not to the public at large, but to Michael, the angel of death, the prince of the darkness, and somehow, the holder of Nikita's light.

The words blurred on the screen, and in the end, Nikita deleted the entire letter. She didn't have to explain herself. With the time that Michael had spent with her, if he didn't know, then he never really cared.

She pulled the gun out of the cubboard and sat a chair in the middle of the apartment. For some reason she couldn't go to the cubboard. She sat down and loaded the gun. It sat in her lap, but something was poking at her hip. She lightly pulled out the object, and noticed it was the item Michael had left.

Nikita, at that moment, decided to see what God decided. She pushed down on the object. Michael had said that he was never more than five minutes away. Nikita stared at the clock, promising to herself that in the end of five minutes, it was either Michael or the bullet, and now it was up to God.

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

The keys opening the door didn't even move Nikita's eyes off of the ticking clock. It was only two minutes, and Nikita's hand rested on the gun.

Michael entered and closed the door. He saw Nikita's back turned to him and he didn't hear a sound.

"Nikita?" Michael asks as he stands still against the door, not sure if she even heard him enter. Nikita, silently, raises one arm, and allows the object to fall out of her hand, and it rolled to his feet. Michael raising an eyebrow notices the opened drawer where Nikita keeps one of her spare guns.

He rushes in front of Nikita, and before he can actually see Nikita's face, pulls the gun out of Nikita's lap. But there is no reaction from Nikita. She sits without blinking, not moving. Still staring at an imaginary clock infront of her.

Instantly, like a house of cards tumbling, Nikita's shoulders roll painfully forward with Nikita's head. It hangs from her torso and Michael, still inches away is shaking, unsure what to do.

Feeling in his gut that leaving Nikita in this chair was unwise, he gently lead Nikita back to the futon that Nikita earlier graced. He watched her cry as he walked into the kitchen and made some tea, that still sat on the counter.

"I've become my mother. Waiting, waiting, waiting." Nikita mutters and Michael continues to stand by the pot, watching the water not boil.

"What is love? I've never had any. How can I know what it is!" Nikita cries out, still struggling with her voice.
Michael pours the tea and walks over to the futon and hands the cup over to Nikita. She painfully swallows and Michael looks away at what he had created.

"Please go." Nikita says very firmly. Michael looks back, and sees the tears continue to fall and shakes his head.

"I can't." Michael says firmly.

"Please, leave me, like it has to be." Nikita says as she sets the empty cup down.

"I won't." Michael establishes loudly and firmly.

"Why! Do you want to hear how much you've hurt me! Do you want to hear how many times I dream that it is you who kills me! Or would you rather hear how I am my mother! Better yet, I can tell you that life means nothing, and I can't live with that." Nikita cries out as she stands up and Michael grabs her in his arms.

Michael sits on the couch, with Nikita's crying head in his lap. He gently rubs her bare arm. He holds back his own tears.

"I never wanted you to suffer," Michael starts and then pauses. "For what I feel for you." Michael finally finishes as he looks down at Nikita.

"I suffer because I don't know what you feel for me." Nikita says softly. Michael bends down and kisses her red earlobe. Losing his control, tears run from his green eyes lightly.

"It's definately something." Michael mutters as he kisses the ear again and places his chin on her head lightly.

"Michael?" Nikita asks after several minutes.

"Yes, Nikita." Michael responds, pulling his head up again, and now stroking her golden locks with his muscular fingers.

"Don't leave me." Nikita says. "Tonight." Nikita says after a long pause.

"I won't leave you, Nikita." Michael says. "Tonight." Michael finishes with an equally long pause as Nikita's.

and there is never an ending.....

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