Ayn walks quickly down the hall in the middle of the night, towards Stephen's room. Operations had taken him out earlier in the day, and all had seemed right as Stephen talked to Ayn before he went to sleep.

"He has been calling for you." Operations says as he holds some ice to his jaw. Ayn pulls the ice away, and whinces.

"What did he throw at you?" Ayn asks as she moves closer to the door.

"The bedknob." Operations says firmly. He looks at Ayn, and just walks away.

"Didn't you find out anything?" Ayn calls out, but Operations just continues down the hall with his shoulders hung low.

Ayn opens the door, and sees Stephen curled up in the corner of his bed. As soon as he sees Ayn, his body relaxes a bit. Ayn clicks on one more light before heading towards Stephen directly. She sits down on the bed, still a good three feet away from Stephen.

"Why did you throw the bedknob?" Ayn asks first, having to get out the reason.

"Ayn... can we talk about something else... that I just realized." Stephen asks in a very steady voice, steadier than Ayn as ever heard.

"Go ahead." Ayn says, realizing that Stephen had claimed some new inner peace.

"I just realized... I hate my father." Stephen says bluntly. The bluntness almost brings a smile to Ayn's face, but instead, Ayn swallows it down.

"Hate is a strong word." Ayn says. Although, she personally thinks that this is the best way to think of Operations, it is not the best way for his kids, excluding hers and Operations, but he didn't know his father.

"Nikita hates him." Stephen points out, not sounding like a whining sibling, but a grown adult.

"Her situation was very much different.. did you not force it onto her?" Ayn says. Stephen drops his head to his chest.

"Had I known that this man couldn't even show a decent level of respect to his own children, I would have never told him." Stephen says.

Ayn immediately realizes that Stephen hating Operations is not the right way to go. Stephen had tried to find his father out of love, and that was what Stephen needed to see.

"Stephen, maybe Operations doesn't know how to show you that he loves you... but he does." Ayn says slowly.

"I hate him." Stephen replies, but he is rubbing his eyes in tiredness.

"Why don't we talk in the afternoon." Ayn says standing up. Stephen grabs her hand, and Ayn feels a sudden coldness.

"I don't want to become him... so I must hate him." Stephen says as he lets go. Ayn stands in the same spot as she watches Stephen move back down into his bed.

"Is that why you threw the doorknob at him?" Ayn asks as she starts to shift her weight to move away.

"No. I felt like it... and plus, it got you down here." Stephen admits as he switches off his light.

Something, someone was going to give. Ayn had a task at hand. To prove to Stephen that Operations loved him.. while she continued to hate him. She wanted to hold onto that hate. Ayn hums "Impossible things are happening everyday" from Cinderella as she walks down the hall. But this might be the only thing that would never happen. Either Stephen was going to continue to hate Operations, or Ayn was going to learn not to hate him while proving it to Stephen.

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

Operations looks at the bruise on his face, and coldness seeps further into his eyes. Ayn stares at the screen and shakes his head.

"Madeline, he has me stunned on even this reaction." Ayn says slowly. She turns her back and looks at Madeline, who stands not far from the screen.

"When I came here, I planned on talking about the situation... not on this." Madeline says, turning quickly and walking away from the screen.

"Madeline, all of this ties together... he continually tries to push himself in to Nikita, and pulls away from Stephen and Anna." Ayn says firmly as she follows behind Madeline.

"I know this, Ayn... I am the psyche operative too." Madeline says tensely, feeling the competition beginning again. Madeline rolls her head around.

"Sometimes I feel I got dumped with this situation." Ayn says firmly as she stares into Madeline's eyes.

"You did.... We had to get Stephen away from Nikita and Anna..." Madeline easily admits. "Actually you've done better than I thought you would." Madeline says.

"Madeline, I need your help here... Personally, I don't think anyone should be personally envolved with Viktor, but he seems to demand it." Ayn says as she drops her head.

"You've maintained your feelings for him..." Madeline says, noting Ayn's pained face.

"Don't tell me you haven't... You have Anna.. a child changes everything." Ayn says moving back to the computer, to view Operations again.

Operations moves to his own screen, and Madeline moves in quickly. "Damn... " Madeline mutters as she sees Birkoff's face. "Who is he calling?" Madeline mutters. Ayn smiles and tapes into the conversation.

"Birkoff.. is Madeline there?" Operations asks.

"Nope... out of Section." Birkoff says very happily.

"Then I want to see Anna." Operations demands. Ayn quickly turns off the screen. Madeline stands up straight and looks away.

"I better get out of here before he figures it out." Madeline says.

"Madeline, he is making contact on his own." Ayn says softly.

"Go see Stephen... see if he is at the DNA stage yet." Madeline says as she slips out the door.

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

Ayn walks into Stephen's room and sees him pacing back and forth. She stands against the door, not use to seeing Stephen at such an aggressive mood.

"Stephen... how did you sleep?" Ayn asks softly. He jumps to a stop, and she sees the anger in his eyes, but yet, they finally looked almost alive.

"I couldn't... I need to talk to him." Stephen spits out, coming close to Ayn.

"I don't think that it's a good idea right now." Ayn says, but worried with his anger.

"I think it is." Stephen says, and he pushes Ayn to the side, and is quickly out the door. Ayn just leans against the door as he storms down the hall.

*

"I hate you!" Stephen roars as Operations sits at the desk, just getting over Anna crying that she didn't know him.

"Stephen... I know you are upset..." Operations says softly, hoping not to get into anything.

"You.. you ... I hate you!" Stephen screams again, moving closer.

Operations blinks, seeing the hatred in his eyes.

"I know why Nikita hates you... you are no good.. out to destroy all.. I hate you.. I hate you.. I hate you!" Stephen screams as he grabs Operations collar. Ayn runs into the room.

"Let go of him, Stephen." Ayn says firmly. Stephen turns his head, but does not release the hold.

"He shows nothing.. he doesn't care that my life is gone.. because I searched for a good man.. and he.. he.. HE IS DEAD!" Stephen screams and he pushes Operations away and walks back down the halls.

Operations pulls himself together, and stares at Ayn.

"Aren't you going to do anything?" Operations demands.

"No. Stephen is finally healing." Ayn says as she closes the door.

"I don't call that healing." Operations objects immediately.

"Is it not what Nikita did?" Ayn asks, and Operations turns his head sharply at Ayn.

"Nikita is not an issue here." Operations almost yells.

"The way you treat all you children is the issue. They can't turn on and off relationships like you want them too. Like you need them too." Ayn fires firmly back. Operations sits down.

"Do you see what is happening with Anna? She doesn't know you because you don't talk to her on a regular basis... now that is not her fault." Ayn says as she moves closer to Operations.

"That is not suitable behavior for an operative." Operations says pointing towards the door.

"Viktor... that is suitable behavior for a son!" Ayn yells loudly as she turns away. "You have forgotten what it is to love.. to live... Maybe you should have spent eleven years on an island." Ayn says and she walks out of the room.

*

Nikita rocks Anna in her arms. Anna continues to cry. Nikita shakes her head as she stares at the ceiling. Nikita's offering of ice cream didn't even stop the tiny girl's crying.

"Mommie is home Anna." Madeline says as she walks into the room. Anna bolts into Madeline's arms. Nikita stands up and stretches out. "Thank you, Nikita."

"No problem.. have to watch out for the big bad Operations." Nikita says with a half smile, which fall to a frown.

"There is a briefing in a few minutes." Madeline says, and Nikita quickly leaves.

"Shhhhh" Madeline says into Anna's head as she walks back and forth with the girl. Madeline leans her head back, wishing she could hang her head down and cry.

*

"Nikita?" Stephen's voice echoes over the phone and Nikita blinks.

"Stephen?" Nikita asks, and Michael's eyes light up.

"Can we talk?" Stephen asks softly. Nikita looks at Michael and shrugs her shoulders.

"Fine... is this about Operations?" Nikita asks.

"Yes." Stephen answers and then pauses. "Do you ever stop hating him?"

"Now that is difficult... deep down.. I hate him.. but I realize the need for a truce and the need to continue on as if he is not my father..." Nikita says and Michael turns his head away in disagreement.

"A truce... and to pretend that he is not my father?" Stephen asks.

"Stephen.. I didn't know my father... I never had a father.. you knew him... I didn't... Walter is more of a father to me than Operations will ever be." Nikita says firmly.

"I don't have Walter." Stephen says immediately.

"Get better and you can." Nikita says softly. She looks down at her watch. "I have a briefing."

"Goodbye.... sis." Stephen says and he hangs up. Michael moves over to Nikita and touches her shoulder. She smiles and stands up.

*

"Can we just not push this father son thing?" Stephen says as he sneaks up on Operations. He immediately jumps in his seat and turns towards him.

"I don't think that is for the best." Operations says.

"I think that is all we could ever have." Stephen says, moving away.

"Anything more.. may make me hate you more."

Operations sits down and watches Stephen move away. No doubt, Ayn will clear him tomorrow. Operations can see the improvement himself. He sighs and drops his head. His thoughts go to the next offspring he may get a chance at, Anna. He plans on never adding to those he already has.

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