"Can't we go back... it's cold here, Dad... really really cold!" Stephen whines like a seven year old as he sits uncomfortably at the table with Operations in a white room.

"No, we must stay here." Operations says firmly, tired already from the hour he has spent with Stephen, who jumps from age to age.

"You just don't want me near Nikita... and the man that sleeps with her each night.. you let Nikita go out, why can't I?" Stephen screams and pounds on the table. Operations looks at the window at the psychological operative who has been given the task of Stephen. He nods his head, and Operations begins to stand up.

"Stephen... it's time for your nap..." Operations says softly, as Lindar enters the room with Stephen's medicine.

For the first time, Stephen allows for the medicine to be injected without a struggle. Operations walks out of the room and lets Lindar stay with Stephen.

The halls in the Moscow substation are even darker than those in Headquarters. Operations leans against one, rubs his hands over his face, but soon starts back down the hall. Operations barely sees the operatives that continue to stare at him, as they still continue to wonder why he is there. For some reason, none of the operatives can believe that Operations is there for his son.

Operations walks by the office he has been using, grabs the heavy coat and walks out of the substation, with everyone watching.

It had been his daily routine. Go be with Stephen, then disappear for an hour or two, and then back to Stephen for no more than twenty minutes before resuming his position.

Yet, most of the operatives didn't worry about his appearance today. They had other things on their mind.

Their real substation leader was coming back today. To most of the operatives, since Moscow has such a huge turnover, didn't know anything about Ayn, who she was, what she was like, and what she would do. All that they had were rumors. Rumors that she battled cancer. Rumors that she was on a top level mission. Rumors that she ran away with another top level substation leader.

Ayn was a ghost to the operatives in the Moscow substation. She was a joke, Ayn will get you for that when she gets back.. if she gets back. Only two or three operatives in the Moscow substation had even seen her, but their reports of her looks, behavior, and manner were as different as apples and oranges.

There was one thing they all knew... they feared Ayn. Ayn was a bigger threat to most of these operatives, than Operations was. How ironic that was! Operations, the leader of the entire Section One, was less of a worry than the ghost of the substation leader, Ayn. So, when Operations left the substation, he hadn't spoke a word to any

operative, not that he would have spoken any other day. To Operations, it was just another day.

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

The snow and the stiff winter wind hit Operations as he trudged down the street, that he walked down each day. He never noticed the people around him, or did they notice him. He pulled the hood up tighter and continued his path to the frozen park.

In these hours, Operations would reflect on a lot of what kept him up at nights, but could never admit. His mind would think hard, and the ensuing headache would just be numbed by the wind.

His hands shoved down deep into the pockets of his heavy coat, he climbed up the sidewalk and stopped at a bench. He sat for a moment, this time. The day before, he sat there for a good twenty minutes. This bench was were he thought about Stephen. It was hard to believe, but at times, Operations found relief not thinking about Stephen. But at this bench, it was all about Stephen.

Yet, other things held his mind on this day. After the fleeting moment of Stephen passed, and he felt the need to continue on, he turned to the left, walking further and further away from the substation. One of the rare sites of beauty in this part of Moscow was a personal greenhouse that sat off to the right. Naturally, while looking at this, is when Operation's thoughts drifted to Nikita. In his time in Moscow since he arrived with Stephen, he had attempted to gain an understandment of Nikita. He once believed her to be one flower, always in bloom, but with her frozen time, and the turbulent relationship with Michael, Operations realized that Nikita was more like that greenhouse. He could concrete explain to anyone why he felt Nikita was like that greenhouse, but she was.

Of course, this day he only looked towards the greenhouse briefly. He continued on, while wondering how Headquarters was doing with his departure to Moscow. He hadn't had anymore hostile take-overs from Nikita, so things must be back on track.

Operations soon turned to the right, and walked down a road that was familiar to him from a time before all of this mess. But, the memories still haunted him, and for the first time in all of his walks, Operations was drawn to stay here. He looked at the falling down apartment buildings, but still kids laughed and played in the street. He walked into a corner store, and waited in the long line to buy one cup of coffee. Going to the corner apartment building, he sat down on the stairs and sipped his coffee lightly.

For some reason, the street that he would walk down briskly, had swallowed him up this day. Operations didn't fight the thoughts. If he couldn't be honest with anyone, he might as well try to be honest with himself.

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

In one instant, all things quieted, and all the heads in the Moscow substation turned and stared down the hall.

Ayn had arrived.

She brushed the small flakes of snow off of her coat, and her heeled boats clicked on the floor of the substation. Slowly, she pulled off the giant fur hat, and sported an chin length cut of her brown hair. She pulled off her coat, and draped it over her arm.

Some of the operatives looked at her miniture body, and almost laughed. They couldn't believe the ideals of who Ayn was didn't even match. Her body seemed so frail, but still, her presense was known. Lindar walked down the hall and meet Ayn with a smile.

"Ayn, it is good to see you." Lindar says as he turns and starts to walk down the hall with her. She looks at some of the operatives, and they turn their heads away quickly.

"I don't know these operatives." Ayn whispers to Lindar and he smiles lightly.

"I believe I am the only one left from when you left." Lindar says as he turns to the left.

"Has it been that long?" Ayn asks with a whispy voice.

"Eleven years... oh, that's not long." Lindar says sarcastically. Ayn stops and turns towards him.

"I've been back periodically... I was here for a couple weeks last year." Ayn says.

"No... two years ago." Lindar corrects Ayn. Ayn feels the operatives watching their every move.

Ayn moves over to one of the operatives on the computer.

"Boy... get to work!" Ayn roars, and immediately the entire substations jumps up and moves quickly.

Ayn turns and walks towards her office, but stops as she opens the door.

"Who is using my office?" Ayn asks angerily as Lindar still stands in the hallway.

"I was meaning to tell you..." Lindar says in a noncommitable way.

"WHO IS USING MY OFFICE???" Ayn yells and Lindar closes his eyes as the ringing echoes in his ears.

"Operations." Lindar says softly, and then opens his eyes.

"He is here?" Ayn asks with wide-opened eyes.

"For awhile now..." Lindar says as Ayn walks further into the office. She looks at the desk and sees the familar handwriting.

"Why is he here? I contacted you two weeks ago, what happened?" Ayn says as she looks at the desk, but does not touch.

"He brought his son here... his son is not very stable... and worse, he is a trained cold operative." Lindar informs Ayn.

"Is he with his son now?" Ayn asks smoothly, and Lindar watches her movements. Although her absense, Lindar can still read her every movement.

"No. He went for his daily walk." Lindar says, and he moves towards the door. He knows that before he closes the door, that Ayn will be pulling her coat back on.

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

Ayn walks down the street and sees Operations. In the one look, all that she knows is made real. Although she has had an extended leave, she was never without contact with Section. Every once in a while, when there was a crunch, she would report in, but kept a low profile. She pulled her collar up and approached the stair.

"Viktor...I am surprized to see you back in Moscow." Ayn says bravely as she sits down next to Operations on the cold concrete stair. Operations looks up and sees the face that he has spent most of his time thinking about. The muscles tighten and he looks away.

"It's Operations now." Operations says firmly, and Ayn looks in the other direction.

"You will always be Viktor." Ayn says softly. She looks back slowly to find Operations looking at her. "Why are you back?" Ayn asks as their eyes connect.

With the connection, Operations is immediately reminded of Michael and Nikita. Closing his eyes, he pushes the image out of his mind.

"Stephen needed the best... and Madeline was already part of the problem." Operations says slowly.

"How did you know I was coming back?" Ayn says with a broad smile, but it is not returned.

"Stephen is being treated by Lindar." Operations corrects. "I never intended to call you in. What are you doing in Moscow?"

"I love the cold winters!" Ayn laughs, but stops as she sees the fury in Operations eyes. "Viktor, I had to come back... to resume my responsibility."

Then silence falls between the two. They both take time to look away, and then to look back. Neither one was aware of the ongoing coldness.

"So how is your daughter?" Ayn says casually.

"Nikita is very good. She has a instincts that I could wish every operative only had half of. And she has brought life into Section, that I have never seen." Operations says with a half smile, that does not go unnoticed by Ayn. Ayn, licks her lips and smiles softly.

"I meant yours and Madeline's daughter." Ayn corrects and Operations meets her eyes again, and turns a little red in the tips of his cheeks.

"That would be Anna... I guess she is fine." Operations says and Ayn is taken back by the name. She leans against the bar. He hasn't realized it yet. Should she say something. Maybe it is just an accident of fate... or maybe Madeline chose the name.

Viktor use to call Ayn, Anna during their long walk on this very same street.

"I must get back. I'm sure you must too. I'll arrange to get my things out of your office." Operations says as he stands and starts to walk away.

Ayn sits on the stair and places her hand down on the stair were Operations had sat. It warms her already gloved hand. She looks over her shoulder, deep in thought. She tosses her hair over her shoulders, and knows that fate didn't create this meeting.

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

Ayn walked down the halls of the substation around 3 o'clock in the morning. She just had a conversation with Stephen, and found him to be much more stable during the night. Her hand ran the surface of the wall as she walked slowly towards the light in the office in front of her.

It hadn't taken Ayn long to know who was still up at this late hour. In the short half of day that had passed, she had recieved massive knowledge on what Operation's life had been like in the substation.

"Do you ever sleep?" Ayn asks as she stands in the doorway, looking in at the gray hair statue. Operations barely blinks as he ever slightly moves his head towards the left. "Only an hour or two."

Ayn walks into the office more, and stands to the side of Operations and watches his face. His eyes only briefly look at him, but he is not looking at the computer infront of him.

"I just saw Stephen... charming young man..." Ayn says softly, but is not prepared for the violent turn of Operations head, and the wide open nostrils.

"YOU ARE NOT IN CHARGE OF HIS CASE...LINDAR IS!" Operations yells and Ayn stares into his eyes, until Operations turns away.

"Even Lindar needs some time off." Ayn says as she pulls the chair to the side of the desk Operations is using. She continues to study him further. "He is more stable in this time of day." Ayn states, but she has a feeling that Operations is not thinking about Stephen.

"That is good. I'll remember that if I feel the need to have a serious conversation with my son!" Operations spits out, and Ayn grabs his hand.

"You are not thinking of Stephen. Who?" Ayn says, and Operations pulls his hand away. "Madeline?"

"No." Ayn continues to study his face. "Anna?" "No." The muscle behind his ear starts to twitch. She knows that he thought of telling her, for that one instance, but held back. "Us?"

"Don't flatter yourself, Ayn. I have more important things to think about." Operations fires back, looking her straight in the eyes.

"Nikita?"

"So what if it is Nikita?" Operations says with a shrug of his shoulders and turns his head away.

"Is this Nikita the same Nikita that you had cancelled, but Michael saved?" Ayn asks, and again his animal reactions return.

"WILL YOU STOP THIS! YOU ARE NOT HERE TO HELP ME! YOU ARE A SUBSTATION LEADER AND NO LONGER A PSYCHOLOGICAL OPERATIVE!" Operations yells his speech and stands up from his desk.

"There is more there... I heard that Nikita is very open... I'm sure I can find out..." Ayn says with a slight smile, knowing that since Operations is trying to avoid Ayn knowing his children, that he will answer her.

"I cancelled her... I had a Section Operative drug and rape her... several times... the drug... it lives in her body... and she delivered Anna... and she went totally comatose afterwards because she had lost Michael's baby because of the exposure to that drug.... And that is only the beginning.... She didn't get married, because I gave her a fake father, when she knew I was her father! You don't know how much being a parent hurts Ayn... so don't start in with me!" Operations yells and walks out of the room.

Ayn, sits back in the chair and watches Operations storm down the hall. He had a point. She didn't have any children, because the only man she ever wanted, wanted another dark haired beauty. She looks down at her fingers and exhales a huge breath before she stands up. She needed to make some phone calls.

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

"Do you have it? Do you have it? Do you have it?" Stephen asks excitedly as Ayn enters his room the next night. She lifts the new Madonna CD from behind her back, and Stephen begins to clap.

"First we talk... ok?" Ayn asks as she motions towards the table. Stephen beats her to the table and taps his hands on the wood surface of the table.

"Ayn... Ayn... Ayn... I don't like feeling like this... really... really..." Stephen says as his head moves around the room in an erratic motion.

"Do you like how you feel when your father is around?" Ayn asks as she concentrates on his face.

"I thought I would... but he doesn't seem like my father... he seems like Operations... Operations... He doesn't like it when I call him dad.." Stephen says, and Ayn is beginning to gather a bigger picture.

"Why do you say this.. he is spending time with you." Ayn points out.

"Mmm... I'm part of his schedule... he is allowed to worry about me during these hours.. and then for twenty mintutes here... and that is all." Stephen says as he moves around in his chair. "Nikita doesn't even call him dad, or father... Operations... Operations.. because...th..that.. that is what he is..is.. Operations." Stephen stutters around.

"But do you realize the relationship between Nikita and your father? You know she never knew until after the image of Operations was in her head." Ayn says as she starts to move the CD around in her fingers.

"But she never called him that... never... and Truly... he is Operations... no life.. all cold." Stephen says. Ayn pats his hand and stands up.

"I guess your waiting for this?" Ayn asks as she places the CD into the player.

"Madonna says it all!" Stephen says as he bounds over to the player and forwards to the song he wants.

"Is she saying what you are trying to say?" Ayn asks, and Stephen nods.

YOU ONLY SEE WHAT YOUR EYES WANT TO SEE...
HOW CAN LIFE BE WHAT YOU WANT IT TO BE...
YOU'RE FROZEN...
WHEN YOUR HEART'S NOT OPENED...
YOU'RE SO CONSUMED WITH HOW MUCH YOU GET...
YOU WASTE YOUR TIME WITH HATE AND REGRET...
YOU'RE BROKEN...
WHEN YOUR HEART'S NOT OPENED...

Ayn listens to the song, and waves goodbye at this point. The song says very vividly what Operations is. Ayn walks down the halls, trying to remember the man Operations is a stranger to her. He is not Viktor, the man she knew.

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

"The line has been established," one of the operatives tell Ayn as she sits in her office. She nods her head, and watches the door close. She picks up the phone, and tosses her hair to the side.

"Hello." Ayn says with a rough Russian accent.

"Ayn, why the call?" Madeline's voice says with mild annoyance.

"I have several questions for you Madeline." Ayn says slowly as she places her feet up on the desk.

"I already assumed that." Madeline says quickly, which causes Ayn to smile.

"I have a feeling that I was set up... by you... now, do you have any idea why I would feel like that?" Ayn says slowly as she starts to touch her hair slowly.

"It wasn't a set up, Ayn. Stephen needed Lindar's help, and it was determined that Operations was needed for Stephen to make any progress." Madeline responds as if reading a script.

"Who Stephen needs is Viktor, and since he no longer exists, I suggest you get Operations away from here so I can help Stephen." Ayn says bluntly, and there is a pause on the phone line.

"Ayn, you haven't been working at all lately, I don't think you should be passing down statements such like that one." Madeline finally says, but it is stressed.

"Oh, Viktor is still very much alive when it comes to defending Stephen, and uh.. is it Nikita?" Ayn says with a sly smile on her face.

"Yes, Nikita." Madeline responds again, but lacking the stress.

"But, not with your Anna." Ayn says with a rude smile. She can feel Madeline tighten her grip on the phone.

"I plan to keep Anna free from the horrors that Nikita and Stephen are going through right now." Madeline say, without much change in her voice.

"But you wanted me to help Stephen." Ayn says clearly as she drops her feet to the floor.

"Ayn, think what you want. I want Stephen to get better so Operations will come back to Headquarters permanently instead of for possible three days in two weeks. IF you believe I set you up, then think that. You have dodged your responsibilities at the Moscow substation long enough. Eleven years should be long enough to get over the lost of Viktor!" Madeline says angerily.

"And Ayn, I had to deal with the death of Viktor and the formation of Operations. Don't try to tell me that you know more. You haven't seen him in eleven years." Madeline comments and slams down the phone. Ayn, slowly hangs up the phone. For once, she thought she would fluster Madeline more than Madeline would fluster her. Yet, she knew she was wrong. Maybe this seemed like a set up because she wanted it to be one. Maybe, Ayn, in her own twisted way, needed to feel that Madeline set up the entire event.

Ayn looked around the office, and notices how old the pictures are. God, there is even one of her, Madeline and Viktor smiling together. She stands and starts to take the pictures down. It was time for some major housekeeping.

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

Ayn pulled her coat up closer to her chin. Although the day was warmer than her last walk, all seemed colder to her. Her thoughts floated across the events that she had watched happen to Section as she kept her distance, as much as she could. This ability to have distance, was all because of Operations and Madeline, and the fact that they worked intensely together for many years.

Ayn thought about how she watched Section become more and more dark, but even Ayn could identify Nikita being a definite reason why Section seemed to climb back out of the pit. Maybe, because of the changes, Ayn felt that she could have come back.

She walks down the street, noticing not many people. There were a few bums on the street, and a couple of men talking on the stairs to a house. She continued her walk, lost in her thoughts.

"Ayn???" A questioning voice rang out from behind her. Ayn turns and looks, and for an instance, cannot recognize who it was.

"Operations... out for your walk?" Ayn asks as she stops. Operations sighs, realizing that in the eleven yeras since he last saw Ayn, she changed. He didn't know her. He didn't know anyone, really. He thought he knew his son, and Anna. Hell, once upon a time, he thought he knew Madeline.

"I'm heading back." Operations states, as he looks at Ayn. There is still a connection as their eyes meet, but both are unsure of what kind of connection there is.

"And when will you be heading back to headquarters?" Ayn asks, wanting to have some time with Stephen away from Operations.

"In about two weeks I have a meeting." Operations says as he moves and walks in the other direction.

Ayn continued her walk, realizing she didn't even recognize him. Then she wondered, if she didn't recognize him, did he recognize her.

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