Operations paces behind Birkoff as he monitors the current mission Michael and Nikita are out on. Operations had abandoned hope of Nikita getting out of her current funk with a romantic mission. That plan had backfired on Operations, and the two fought most of the time.

"They have reached the house." Birkoff reports and Operations stops his movement.

"Is backup in place?" Operations asks, and Birkoff looks at his screen.

"Yes, sir." Birkoff answers. Birkoff looks at the screens. "They have shut down the alarms." Birkoff reports.

Madeline sits not far from the action, shaking her head, wishing Operations would just assign the missions he felt Michael and Nikita could handle and let them wait this funk out. Madeline studies Operations closely as he starts to pace again, and realizes that this is more than restoring Section to the former glory that it had when Nikita was laughing and joking. This was about doing something for his daughter. Madeline takes a deep breath as she thinks in her mind how overprotective of a father Operations is. Then this thought causes Madeline to laugh out loud as there was never a father and daughter relationship between those two.

"Progress has stopped." Birkoff announces, and Operations practically chokes Birkoff.

"What do you mean progress has stopped!" Operations roars as he pushes Birkoff back into the chair.

"Timone.. what has happened?" Birkoff says as he flips the screen.

"All I saw was Nikita's rope break and then Michael pulling her up." Timone reports in. Operations looks at Birkoff.

"Override their comm units and establish a line." Operations orders Birkoff and he moves over to Madeline.

"This might be enough to bring them back together." Operations announces to Madeline.

"I wouldn't celebrate quite so soon. They have to finish the mission." Madeline says as she studies Operations face.

"I am not celebrating.. but hoping that Nikita can feel the emotion of being scared." Operations says as he sits down next to Madeline.

Walter, who is in the room moves over to the two.

"She knows what it is to be scared.. that's what this funk is all about." Walter says as he pulls Madeline into his arms in a protective mode. Madeline looks at Walter, genuinely intrigued by his comment.

"What do you mean by that?" Madeline asks.

"She is scared of being loved." Walter answers simply and walks with Madeline out of the room. Madeline looks over her shoulder to make sure Operations is busy with something else.

"I want that rope checked... I have a funny feeling that it was all a plan." Madeline says.

"Operations wouldn't jeopardize his own daughter like that!" Walter says a bit too loud. Madeline stares at Walter until he mutters alright.

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

Michael looks at the heap on the top of the roof, as Nikita holds her right arm as she stands up. She touches her shoulder lightly and realizes that the jarring of it into the roof top dislocated it. She takes her jacket off and pushes at it.

"Damn." Nikita mutters as she takes a deep breath and pushes the pain away.

"Are you ok?" Michael asks as he moves towards her.

"I would have been fine, had you not pulled me up and dropped me like Godzilla!" Nikita says angerily as she straightens her arm to Michael.

"Are you ok?" Michael repeats as he holds on to the arm.

"It's dislocated... let's slip it back in sort of, finish the mission and let the professionals take care of it." Nikita says angerily.

Michael nods his head as he places her against the wall and takes her arm tightly.

"Pull and twist.. until it pops." Nikita says in a slow and metered voice. Michael nods again and does the motion quickly, and then drops the arm.

Nikita shakes the arm and puts her coat back on.

"Michael.. Nikita..." Operations' voice rings in the comm unit.

"All is fine." Nikita says as she zips the coat back up and starts to move down the roof top and raises her hand to the back up team.

"The rope broke and Nikita dislocated her shoulder." Michael explains as Nikita walks back to him.

"Let's finish this." Nikita says as she stares at Michael and moves towards their next point.

"Should we abort?" Operations asks for MIchael's opinion.

"Too late.. Nikita has continued on." Michael says as he follows behind.

Nikita clasps the edge as she uses a mirror to see into the room below her.

"Backup.. only two in the house, right?" Nikita asks for a confirmation of the intel.

"That is correct." Timone answers. Nikita signals ok to Michael and he moves over.

"Should be easy... they are romantically connected right now." Nikita says as she pulls up the mirror.

"Let me.." Michael says as Nikita takes position to swing down and fire the shots into the room.

"The profile has me doing this and you covering for me." Nikita says and before she hears Michael's protest, she swings down and empties the machine gun into the couple. Nikita struggles to bring herself back onto the roof with the weaken arm, but soon returns. Michael looks at her and grabs the gun.

"Let's get out of here." Michael says and before he has a chance to start out first, Nikita starts out ahead.

"Mission completed... heading back now." Nikita registers with Operations.

Operations throws his unit down and storms out of the room. Birkoff looks at Operations movement, and takes the decision that there will be no debriefing this night.

"Come back. Nikita go to Medlab.. there will be no debriefing." Birkoff says strongly and then turns the line to a guarded situation.

***********

Nikita storms into Walter's workspace and pulls of the sling from her arm.

"I told them that it was fine and they didn't listen.. they coddle me..." Nikita says as she throws into the garbage. Walter looks up at Nikita and puts down the screwdriver on the table.

"Nikita... what is truly going on here?" Walter asks as he looks at Nikita. Her eyes are wide with anger, but that quickly changes as she takes a deep breath.

"I don't like the way Medlab treats me." Nikita says, suddenly composed.

"I mean what is truly going on here?" Walter says again and Nikita looks at Walter hard.

"I realize that I have to live." Nikita answers simply. Walter looks at Nikita and then looks at the hallway, seeing Michael walking down the hall.

"This may sound stupid.. but why?" Walter asks as he asks loudly, and he notices Michael stopping at the door way.

"If I die.. Michael becomes nothing... If I die.. Birkoff loses his sister.. If I die.. You will kill Operations." Nikita says and Walter blinks.

"That's all about dying.. why live?" Walter asks firmly and he again notices Michael leaning closer in.

"I must." Nikita answers and she turns around when she sees Walter's eyes drift away from her.

"So you spy on me?" Nikita asks as Michael enters.

"I thought you were told to wear a sling." Michael says as he looks at Nikita.

"What were you doing at that door?" Nikita asks in a demanding tone.

"Trying to figure out what happened to you." Michael says as Walter turns away.

"Nothing." Nikita says simply.

"And if I say I love you... you just laugh it off now." Michael says and Niktia turns her head.

"No one really loves me Michael.. this is just a thing... a thing.. and we have to admit it... that it is just a thing." Nikita says as she stares at Michael.

"And our wedding.. the ring..." Michael says slowly. Nikita stares at her hand.

"I've been meaning to give it back." Nikita says as she slides it off and tries to hand it back to Michael.

"No... we belong together." Michael protests and pushes her hand away.

Nikita drops it to the worktable and Walter pushes the button to Madeline's office, allowing her to know what has happened.

"No we don't. Do you want me to leave the apartment.. or leave the Section quarters?" Nikita asks with no emotion.

"Whatever you want." Michael responds as his eyes start to fill with tears.

"I'll be taking the apartment.. I think I can set up an office there.. so I won't be bothering you in your office." Nikita says as she walks past Michael.

"Nikita.. can't we talk about this!" Michael calls out from behind her and follows her down the hall.

Walter sees the ring sparkling on the worktable and he takes a deep breath, and realizes how hard it was to take such a breath with the returning coldness in Section.

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

Operations walks down the halls of Section, looking at the strange behavior of the operatives in the hallways. Since Nikita had gotten into her funk, the operatives had stopped talking to each other... and now they run from one to another, whispering like a game a telephone.

Operations almost breaks a smile, and thinks that this is because his Nikita has returned. He turns the corner and sees a crowd hovering around Walter's workspace, and all the talking stops at Operations is noticed.

"What is going on?" Operation bellows as he cuts through the operatives. He looks at their stares and becomes upset. "Don't you all have work to be doing?" Operations roars and most of the crowd leaves. Operations walks into Walter's area and finds Madeline sitting in a chair.

"What is going on here?" Operations asks, and without a word, Madeline holds up the ring. Operations blinks and leans against a wall as he mutters, "No."

"It just happened... Nikita is in the Section quarters gathering her things and Michael is at the apartment gathering his things." Madeline says as she stands up.

At this point an operative runs into Madeline, holding a book of samples.

"Madeline.. Nikita is throwing everything around... she threw this at me!" the tiny woman says as she hands the book up to Madeline.

"I'll go and speak with her." Madeline says as she looks at the material book that Nikita had been using to select her wedding gown. The operative nods and leaves.

"And Michael?" Operations asks as he closes the door, and Birkoff opens the door and enters.

"Michael is cleaning the apartment slowly.. not showing anger at all." Birkoff supplies Madeline and Madeline nods.

"I have a team watching him." Madeline informs Operations and Walter steps forward.

"This is my fault... I pushed Nikita and knew Michael was listening." Walter says to Operations and Madeline puts a hand to his shoulder.

"You did what we all want to do. We all want to say something to snap Nikita back.. and we don't want to wait." Madeline says as she hands the ring to Walter. "I want you to watch this.. since it was left here."

"This was out of hand, Madeline.. every operative inside Headquarters was talking about it." Operations says as he opens the door and walks with Madeline.

"That couldn't have been helped. They screamed at each other up and down several halls before they split to clean the prespective areas." Madeline says as operatives scatters as they approach.

"We can't do anything." Operations almost asks, but says again.

"This is a relationship.. we can't fix it like we do with terrorists." Madeline says, and then turns to Operations. "That was what was wrong between us."

Operations stares at Madeline and then turns away. He shoves his hands deep into his pockets.

"So far, each of them have asked for a transfer and I've denied both. I informed them that they will still be paired together. I believe that Walter is right. Nikita is scared of the love she is receiving." Madeline says as she opens her office door.

"Why?" Operations asks as he sees the empty hall.

"Because she never has had it for real... for the long term." Madeline says, and knows Operations knows that she means she never had loving parents.

"Let's try to stop the rumors.. and get them settled into their perspective places as quickly as possible." Operations says, and he turns and leaves.

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

"Do you want some help?" Madeline asks as she enters the living quarters that Nikita is destroying.

"I'm just fine." Nikita mutters as she throws a bunch of things towards what Madeline easily identifies as a garbage pile. Madeline walks over to it and pulls out a pair of sunglasses.

"But those are my favorite pair... Michael bought them for you and you would wear them when your eyes showed the exhaustion we knew about but didn't speak about." Madeline says as she holds the sunglasses in her hands. Nikita shrugs her shoulders and go back to emptying out another drawer.

"Isn't this going to give you too much space?" Madeline asks, hoping to get Nikita to talk.

"I like having space." Nikita says as she drops a pair of shoes into a box.

"Isn't this all a bit quick?" Madeline says as she looks at the garbage again and notice many things that she never thought Nikita would throw away.

"It was just waiting to happen." Nikita says as she looks into the drawer and then pushes it back in. "That's all." Nikita announces and closes the box. She places it on a pile of six other boxes and starts to gather all the items that Nikita had labeled as garbage.

"I'll get housekeeping to get this out." Madeline says as she points to the pile. Nikita pulls a glass from the cubboard and takes at drink of water as Madeline goes to the phone, and instructs housekeeping to take the items, but not to destroy them. Both have their backs turned to the door when Michael walks in.

"Madeline." Michael says as he sees Madeline and not Nikita. Madeline turns and turns her eyes towards Nikita. Madeline watches the communication between the two and quickly leaves the phone conversation.

"You need milk." Michael says as he drops the two boxes down on the floor.

"Thanks for telling me. I'll be out of your way in just a few minutes." Nikita says as she drops the glass in the sink and moves towards her boxes. She picks up two and leaves.

"How are you Michael?" Madeline asks as she moves towards him but while keeping an eye on the door for Nikita.

"You warned me.. and I have suspected this coming." Michael says with sad drooping eyes. Madeline strokes his face tenderly, and soon moves it away as Nikita walks back in.

Madeline is about to leave, when she remembers that there was another reason why she was there.

"While I have you two together.. there is a briefing tomorrow morning... we need to work you two together until we can reassign the couples around." Madeline says with part truth and part lies. Nikita nods and leaves and Michael nods and moves to the bedroom.

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

Nikita jumps out of the van and walks down the hall while throwing parts of her black field clothes off. Madeline stands in front of Nikita, but moves to the side as she storms down the hall.

"Next time you want me killed.. do it yourself." Nikita yells at Operations as she slams her gun into his chest. Operations looks at Madeline as Nikita runs down the hall.

"I believe she won't be at the debriefing." Operations says as he hands the gun over to another operative. Walter is the next out of the van, and moves to Madeline.

"Maddie.. Nikita found the report on the rope before I even saw it..." Walter explains softly and Madeline turns around with fire in her eyes as she stares at Operations.

"It was made to break then?" Madeline asks Walter and Operations. Operations turns his head and Madeline immediately knows the absolute truth.

"That has nothing to do with this mission!" Operations finally says angerily, and with this Michael limps out of the van. He looks at the trio and starts off down the hall.

"Michael... we are going to debrief." Operations says before Michael disappears. Michael stops and leans against the wall.

"It was all my mistake.. I didn't know the intel." Michael says slowly as he pushes off of the wall. Madeline places a hand on his shoulder.

"It was our mistake.. the intel was shabby at the best." Madeline says and Michael looks down the hall as he hears a door slam and footsteps walking back down towards them.

"I just wonder if it was all given to us... if someone tried to throw Nikita back in my arms by making her rope break... why not give us only half the intel?" Michael says in a guarded voice, and Walter steps between Michael and Operations as Operations moves towards him.

Nikita walks between the crowd, and Michael follows her. Madeline huddles the men away, hoping that maybe with a lightening bolt from God that this would all end now.

"Nikita..." Michael calls out after Nikita. She stops and looks. "Where are you going?"

"To the apartment." Nikita says as she stares at the wall just behind Michael's face.

"Don't you have to debrief?" Michael asks calmly.

"No." Nikita simply answers as she pushes a piece of hair out of her face.

"Thank you." Michael says as he stares into her eyes. He can feel the pull of her eyes locking on hers, but can see her physically pull them away from the stare.

"It is my job." Nikita answers as she throws a beret on her hair.

"Operations would kill me if I allowed you to die."

"We know that not to be true." Michael counters quickly.

"He always liked you better." Nikita says and she turns and walks down the hall, with no more sound than her shoes striking the floor.

Michael watches her golden hair float back and forth as the jeans moves smoothly with her legs. Not once does she look back. Michael closes his eyes and concentrates on that moment when Nikita's eyes told the truth.. the truth that she cared.. that she loved.. that she was running scared.

Michael turns and walks down the hall and turns the corner.

"Hello Madeline." Michael says before she moves away from the shadow on the wall. Madeline falls out of the shadow and starts to walk with Michael.

"She needs to learn to stand up to what she fears the most." Michael says slowly.

"And what is that?" Madeline asks softly.

"That she might lose the people she loves." Michael says and he moves quickly away.

Madeline stands in the hall thinking. Walter's ideas of Nikita's coldness matched.. and now Michael's. All made sense.. and now Madeline tried to figure how to end it all.

Madeline turns on the computer and runs through many screens. She access the list of operative residences and clicks on the apartment that Nikita is now in alone. Looking at the master list, she closes her eyes and when opening them, turns on all of the cameras, bugs, and sensors in the entire apartment.

Soon the screen shows the empty house, showing that Nikita hasn't arrived home yet. Madeline saves the image and shuts the computer down.

Michael enters his head in the door.

"You wanted me?" Michael says and Madeline motions him in.

"I want you to see Nikita tonight..." Madeline starts to say and Michael starts to protest. "Stand on her balcony... watch her from there." Madeline says and Michael nods his head and closes the door.

Madeline turns her head as she hears a small rumble of thunder and realizes that it is going to be a long night for all tonight.

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