Nikita walks into Section, dressed in black head to toe. Her blonde hair is pulled up in a black hat, and the only other color with her black outfit, is the pale pink lips and the pale skin.

Nikita is wearing oversized metal black sunglasses. She walks past Michael and Birkoff, without nodding hello or even glancing.

To Nikita, she is only there to have the meeting with Madeline.

"Ouch, it's cold in here!" Birkoff says with emphasis, as he turns back to his computer.

"That is not Nikita," Michael mutters as he watches her walk towards Madeline's office.

"Give her a few days Michael. She just learned that section controls all that she does, and who she does." Birkoff whispers.

"She didn't have too..." Michael whispers back.

"Why is she meeting with Madeline without you? Aren't you two always working together?" Birkoff askes. Michael snaps a sharp look at Birkoff. _________________________________________________

"Nikita, we have your next mission," Madelines says as Operations steps out from the shadows.

"You will be heading to Chicago with Franco. You two will establish yourselves as a newlywed couple. The hotel you will be staying at is run by Macky Racini, a known mobster. The mobster activity has gotten very hot there. You will break into the computer records so we can bring down his whole mob." Operations says firmly.

"I suggest you get to know Franco, he has a different style," Madeline warns Nikita.

"Why aren't I going with Michael?" Nikita asks.

"He looks a little worn down. He needs some rest." Operations says.

"I did all the work last mission!" Nikita protests.

"You have to learn to work with others." Madeline says. She pushes some papers over. "This tells you more about Franco. Meet with him, and you leave tonight. Remember newlyweds."

Nikita stands up.

"Nikita!" Madeline says before Nikita exits the door.

"Yes, Madeline." Nikita says without turning her head.

"I'll pack your bags, and leave an outfit out for you, I don't agree with your current look." Madeline says. Nikita exits without another word.

Madeline puts her head to her desk. Operations moves over to Madeline.

"We are doing what is right. I'll give Michael someone to train. We got this real good looking redhead in..." Operations says with no emotions.

"I'm sick." Madeline mutters.

"Maybe you should go home" Operations says.

"Sick of you." Madeline says staring into his eyes.

"I am not going to let Michael fall in love with Nikita. He has already lost his sharpness!" Operations says sharply.

"It's too late."

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

"Hello Walter," Nikita says without emotion, as she picks up the weapons that have been allowed to her for this mission. All are miniture versions. There is a special bag to which they will pass through the airport in.

"SO your working this one with Franco." Walter says.

"Yeah." Nikita says, picking the weapons up and leaving. Walter sits stunned as he watches Nikita walk away.

"Did she tell you more?" Michael asks as he enters Walter's workspace.

"No. Man, Michael...I'm worried about this one." Walter says as he puts down the gun he is cleaning.

"You mean their personality conflict?" Michael asks with no change in his emotion.

"Franco hates woman who have a mind...and Nikita sure has one...but I've heard more..."Walter says looking around.

"What?" Michael askes, almost sounding worried.

"He has beaten his past few girls up pretty good...and he might just..." Walter says as he sits back.

"Nikita has been trained good." Michael says with no emotion.

"I have her protected." Walter says slamming his fist down. "If you don't care about her fine. Tell her. But I will know everything that happens in that hotel room. I won't let Nikita be alone!" Walter finishes angerily and exits the room.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

"Hello," Nikita says as she meets Franco in his office.

"Well, you are prettier than your picture. I rarely get a babe like you!" Franco says as he stands up.

Nikita nods and sits down. Franco walks behind her.

"Let's see that blonde hair," Franco says as he pulls her hat off. He runs his hands through the long lengths of hair. Then he lets his hands wander, and Nikita slaps them away when they brush against her chest.

"We are going to be the newlyweds, we want to give a good performance." Franco says as he walks back to his chair.

"Only if we have too." Nikita says sternly as she leaves.

"I'm sure we will have too." Franco says smiling.

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

Nikita is now dressed in a white wedding dress, and Franco a tux, as they get on the Chicago bound airplane. Everyone is smiling at them, and Nikita fakes every smile back. She is already downing Tums from being sick to the stomache with Franco.

"MMM..Chicago here we come!" Franco says has he pins Nikita in first class with a huge wet kiss. She goes with the kiss for a while, and then slightly brings her knee up towards Franco, who then releases her.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

'An airhead! They gave me a total airhead! Why am I stuck with the damn airhead when I should be heading towards Chicago!' Michael thinks to himself as he sits watching a moderate sized redhead go through some routine exercises.

"Michael, I'm tired!" she whined and made Michael rub his head.

"Go again!" Michael says and starts the exercise over.

Afterwards, she comes over to him and rubs her sweaty body against him. "I think it's time we both got a workout!" she moaned into his ear.

'An airhead and sexcrazed manic' Michael thought as he sent her back to another exercise. _________________________________________________

Nikita drags the drunken Franco into the honeymoon suite. At least now she didn't have to worry about this night. She left him on the couch and headed towards the bathroom to change out of the crazy wedding dress which Franco dropped a glass of red wine all over. He rubbed his hands all over her thighs the entire plane ride, and even suggested that they go to the bathroom together! Nikita pulls the dress over her head.

"Honey, babe, ready for our wedding night?" Franco calls out in a drunken yell. Nikita hears some loud footsteps and then Franco enters the bathroom.

"No fair, I wanted to take the wedding dress off!" Franco whines as he paws at her bra. Nikita pushes him away hard.

"Hey! You don't treat me that way!" Franco says and backhands Nikita. He retreats, and Nikita hears him fall down and pass out.

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

"Michael, leaving? It's morning?" Walter asked as Michael walked towards the door with his coat on.

"I was here all night with *Joyce* and airhead and a sex crazied woman. I ran her through exercise after exercise all night." Michael explained.

"Well, I have something you should listen to." Walter says motioning for Michael to come to his work area. Walter hits the play button, and then comes the confrontation between Nikita and Franco the previous night.

Michael instantly sits down.

"Do we tell?" Walter askes.

"Nikita doesn't want me to interfer." Michael says standing up, ready to leave.

"So, we can let Nikita get beat up by this guy because you both have too much pride..."Walter says.

"And that bug wasn't suppose to go..." Michael says and leaves. _________________________________________________

"Well our wedding night didn't happen...what about the morning after?" Franco says as he enters the bedroom that Nikita slept in alone.

"Get out of here Franco. We're on a mission." Nikita says sitting up.

"ONly one mission I'm on." Franco says as he dives for the bed. He straddles Nikita's body, and pulls her nightgown off. "OH, you'll enjoy me."

Nikita struggles, and Franco punches Nikita in the right eye.

Nikita kicks her leg up and around and kicks Franco off. She hurrily pulls on some jeans and a t-shirt.

"Cool off! I'll do the whole damn mission myself." Nikita says as she puts on some sunglasses and exits the room.

-------------------------------------------------

"Michael?" Walter's voice rings out on the phone that Michael just picked up, while still have asleep.

"Walter? I only have been asleep an hour. This better be good." Michael says in an irrating voice.

"There are problems, Michael." Walter says.

"Is the section alright?" Michael asks.

"Yes." Walter says.

"Then why the @##$## are you calling me?" Michael screams.

"Things are getting nasty. YOu may never see Nikita again..." Walter says.

"SHe has not been.."Michael says.

"No, Franco might kill her. I'm outside your building, can I come up?" Walter says.

"Give me two minutes."

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

"Cool off! I'll do the whole damn mission myself!" Nikita's voice rang over the tape that Walter brought. Michael put his hands over his face.

"Michael...I know things have been rough between you and Nikita...but I think this has all been arranged." Walter says.

"Shh..." Michael says as he motions to the cameras and bugs that he knows are in his apartment.

"Birkoff deactivated them." Walter says.

"A set up? By whom?" Michael asks.

"I don't think Operations wanted you and Nikita to..well, get to close. That was were it was heading?" Walter says.

Michael glances over to Walter, and his sapphire blue eyes tell the truth, before he speaks it.

"Yes, it was heading...but why Operations? Wouldn't Madeline be in with it?" Michael asks.

"AH...that little heaven seems to been frozen by an icestorm. While you were busy with training, they were fighting everywhere they met." Walter says. His watch beeps. "The bugs are due back on in three minutes. I got to go. Decide what to do."

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Nikita walks around the hotel. She notices that there are alot of computers that no staff are sitting at. She quickly enters and cleaning closet, and seizes a left over maid's uniform. After doning the outfit, she walks over to the computer and easily gains access. Within a few seconds, she is downloading all the information in the entire hotel to Birkoff. Hopefully the mission will be done soon.

When she enters the room, she is immediately thrown against the wall, and her head hits the wall head, all she sees is stars.

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

"Madeline, we need to talk." Michael says closing her office door. Her office is free from bugs, since Operations spends alot of time in there.

"Michael, shouldn't you be sleeping?" Madeline says as she watches Michael pace back in forth.

"Walter bugged a bag of Nikita's. I need to get to Chicago." Michael says.

"Nikita has sent the information that is needed." Madeline says.

"Then call them in!" Michael says. Madeline picks up the phone and dials the number. After several rings, Madeline hangs up concerned.

"What do you know?" Madeline says. Michael hands over the two previous tapes. AFter listening to them, Madeline fold her hands.

"I did not want this, Michael." Madeline says. Walter busts into the room. HE enters the tape into the player.

Thump, crash.."Oh now we can have fun. I'll take care of you my sweet thing...I think I shall give you a bath, I don't like red stuff in your blonde hair..." Franco's voice shatters.

"Nikita's voice is no where on that tape." Walter says. All of their eyes meet.

"Michael you're leaving with me now." Madeline says as she hurrily gets up from her chair. _________________________________________________

Nikita shakes her head side to side as she wakes up feeling wet. Everything she sees is in threes or fours. SHe soon realizes she is sitting in the bathtub, with undergarmets on. Her hands are taped together near her stomach, and her legs bounded to the side of the tub. Slowly, the fours of Franco make one.

"Oh there there. You will not make me look bad!" Franco raged infront of her.

"They don't know I was the one who sent the information. I won't tell!" Nikita struggled to reach a better position. Franco ran his hand across her face. She bite the hand, hard and furious.

Another punch to her face. She doesn't show pain, as she starts to aim her fingernails towards the tape, looking to break it.

"You'll learn your lesson soon enough." Franco says as he turns on the shower. The water beats against her face. He leans his hands around her throat. "DO what I want and I won't kill you!"

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

"Damn this traffic!" Michael yells as he pounds on the dashboard of the little car Madeline rented at the airport. Madeline is driving and Walter keeps tune to the bug. They listened to the situation get worse on the plane ride.

"Ok, what should we suspect when we get there?" Madeline says, running them through some of the clues Nikita has given them through her conversations with Franco.

"They are in the bathroom. Nikita is strapped into the tub." Michael says as he twiddles his thumbs.

"She'll look terrible." Walter says. "We have to get there!" Walter screams as he hears the conversation.

"Just do it! Have your damn wedding night! Why are you waiting so long?" Nikita yells.

"I like seeing you squirm, and bleed, and sit there helpless. You are learning the first lesson you should have learned... respect your superiors." Franco laughed.

"You'll never be superior to me!" Nikita yelled and glass is heard breaking. "Are you crazy?" Nikita cries out.

"SO when you're found here, all will think that it was suicide."

With that, Madeline put her foot on the gas,and took off on side streets and wrong ways streets.

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

"Please, just end my life now. That's all I want!" Nikita barely said. Her nail has almost broken through the tape, but she has picked up a piece of glass, and is making faster progress.

"I want you so much." Franco said as he ran his hand inbetween her legs. "You know you want it."

THe glass is through the one end of the tape. A loud noise from the door occurs, and Nikita slices rest of the tape off. She grabs his head quickly, ready to snap his neck.

"Nikita! NO!" Michael yells as he runs into the bathroom.

SHe tightens her grip, ready to twist the bastard to hell.

"Nikita...let us take care of him," Madeline says as she enters the bathroom. Nikita loosens her grip. Michael walks over and slugs Franco to unconsciousness. Michael drags him to the door.

"Watch this trash, Walter." Michael says. Madeline has gone to the tub and cutting the binds on Nikita's legs.

"Let me help you out." Michael says leaning over for Nikita.

"I can do that myself." Nikita says nastily as she slowly pulls herself up. "I was fine. I could have handled this myself. You will never trust me!" Nikita screams at Michael. Michael leaves without a word.

Weaklegged, Nikita hobbles to a chair in front of a mirror. Tears run down Nikita's face as she stares at her deformed face. Two blacks, a swollen and blooded right cheek...her lips are cracked and bloody.

"Let me help, " Madeline says as she lightly washes the blood off. Nikita whinces in pain.

"Walter, bring in my bag," Madeline calls out. Walter walks in and is shocked by the look of Nikita.

"I'm giving you something for pain," Madeline says as she withdrawls a needle and adminsters it. "Walter, use that ointment and treat those rope burns. She rubbed them raw. Then talk to Michael."

Walter gets down on his knees and lift the bruised legs up and puts ointment on the two inch rope burns and covers them.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Madeline has left Walter with Nikita in the bathroom. He is gently cleaning cuts on her legs and arms and stomache from the glass Franco slammed on her.

"Michael, it wasn't you she was mad with," Madeline says as she sits on the couch next to Michael.

"I know." Michael says.

"She would have made it out. She proved that." Madeline said softly.

"I'm glad." Michael says softly.

"I'm not going to tell you everything will be fine in a few days, because it's not." Madeline says firmly.

"She had already changed." Michael stated bluntly.

"This is going to shake her grounding. SHe is going to be self aware from the abuse and injury and she is going to doubt herself." Madeline says as she hears Nikita's sobs. She quickly stands up.

"Operations didn't want us together." Michael says.

"True." Madeline says as Nikita screams.

"This might have done it."

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

Their flight home is uneventful. Nikita sleeps fitfully on Walter's lap. Waking every half hour or so screaming in horror.

"Time." Walter says to Michael, who looks on from the other side of the plane.

Madeline is on the phone with Operations.

"How is she?" Operations asks.

"Nothing that a week or two will fix." Madeline says.

"Would she have survived?" Operations asked.

"Yes. She was about to snap Franco's neck." Madeline says.

"Good." Operations says.

"I think we better let her work with Michael for a while. She might have lost her self-confidence for now." Madeline says.

"Yes. They will work together." _________________________________________________

"MICHAEL!!! HELP ME HELP ME!!! MICHAEL SAVE ME SAVE ME!!!!!" Nikita screams in her nightmare, and outloud.

Michael walks over and smooths her hair. He know that subconsciously, she was hoping for him.

Niktia is thrashing about, but they don't wake her. Madeline advised that dreams are the best way for Nikita to work things out.

" I DON'T WANT YOU FRANCO!!! I DON'T LOVE YOU. I LOVE MICHAEL. I LOVE MICHAEL!!!! GOD, PLEASE." Nikita screams, and Michael backs off quickly with the words. Walter gently wakes Nikita up, and hugs her as she cries again.

Michael walks to the back of the plane. Madeline is not far behind.

"You know now." Madeline says.

"I think I have known." Michael says.

"It's not going to be easy." Madeline says as she looks straight into Michael's eyes.

"I know that also."

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

Nikita walks into Section wearing all black. All of the clothes are baggy, and she wears her hair down, to cover some of the bruising. She wears the largest pair of black sunglasses Madeline could find. Last night was the first night she spent at her apartment without Madeline or Walter there. She had yet to see Michael from when she consciously saw him in the bathroom.

"NIKITA!" Birkoff says happily as he hugs her. She is still tender around the neck and doesn't return the hug.

"You were great. We got everything!" Birkoff smiles. Nikita nods and continues on. She is quickly in Madeline's office.

There sits Michael.

"Hello, Ni-kita," Michael says as she sits down.

"Where's Madeline?" Nikita asks.

"She had to do something." Michael answers.

"Michael, I'm sorry. I don't remember exactly what I said, but I didn't mean anything." Nikita says. He leans over to take her sunglasses off, and she stops him.

"Nikita. You can't hide behind them." HE says as he pulls them off. Behind the puffy black eyes, he can see the Nikita he knew, was back there.

"Welcome back, Nikita." Michael said as he kissed her hand.

Madeline walked into her office.

"You're next mission will give you time to heal. We're after a arms dealer, who beats his wife. Nikita you will be Michael's abused lover..." _________________________________________________

"So what happened to Franco?" Nikita asked later that day.

"He is helping train new trainee..." Madeline says.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

"You are to show this man who the boss is..." Michael instructs Joyce. Joyce looks at Franco who is tied to a bed, in only underwear and looks at Michael.

"Anyway I deem?" Joyce askes with a smile.

"Anyway."

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