The woods never seem to change as time goes by, and the road, never seems to change either. At least, for Walter. His thoughts were the same as he remembered of past trips. He thought about Nikita and Katherine. Two ladies that he cared deeply for, and somehow, he never had the chance to spend enough time with either one of them.

Katherine on the phone call the day before, sounded more distant than she normally would. Walter looked as he turned around the corner and pulled in his cheeks. Once he called the store, and found someone else there. He had never expected that. Katherine had taken pride in the store, so Walter had the suspicion that something was up.

Walter stopped and turned off the radio, as it brought his thoughts back to Nikita. He wished he could have put the trip up to the retreat off for a couple days. Nikita was on such shaky emotional ground when he left, Walter actually feared for what would happen when Nikita got home.

Michael always seemed to gather some control of Nikita, but now Nikita was begging out for a man to be her father. Michael could not be that. Nikita was going to suffer for some time yet to come. It was not likely that Operations would see why Nikita had done what she had done. He may never see why.

Walter pulls into the store and raises and eyebrow as he looks around. The store is closed in the middle of the day. He walks back down to his car and dials into the inside line. No one picks up. Walter walks back up and looks inside the windows. It was rare for Katherine to close the store. She knew how much the retreat relied upon her store.

Walter didn't like this feeling. He was alone, and he hated it. Many years ago, he loved the freedom of being by himself, being free. Now, since Nikita had entered into his life, things have changed. Somehow, Walter had connected to everyone in Section One unlike what he had prior to that. It was because of Nikita.

Nikita had brought Walter a sense of living again, and maybe that was why his heart went out to her now. She was in a dark place, and he wasn't sure how she got there, but she was. Walter rubbed his eyes and looked at the store. How could he continue thinking about Nikita, when he did not know where Katherine was.

Walter stepped back down the stairs and looked at his watch. He would have to come back later and saw hello to Katherine. He was due up at the retreat soon, and he was going to call Nikita. He needed to speak with her.

Walter slides back into the car and started to drive again. He felt so alone that he picked up his cell phone and called Birkoff.

"Hello?" Birkoff asks and Walter giggles.

"Any glass break yet?" Walter asks and Birkoff laughs too.

"Nope. Nikita didn't come in today, and I think Operations has taken a trip with Ayn." Birkoff comments and Walter nods his head as he turns onto the private road that leads up to the retreat.

"I thought you were going to see Katherine. Why are you calling me?" Birkoff asks as he continues to type.

"Well.. Katherine has the store closed, and I've been on the road a long time by myself. I should have taken the supplies up." Walter says and Birkoff laughs.

"What? Are you afraid to be by yourself now?" Birkoff laughs and jokes.

"No. I am just concerned. Nikita was pretty messed up when I left." Walter says and he halts the car and waits for two deer to cross the road.

"Madeline is going to their house today to speak with Nikita. I don't know if it will do any good. She hung up on me ten times today while I was trying to explain to Nikita the plans." Birkoff says and Walter nods his head. Why did he always have to go to the retreat when Nikita was in trouble?

"Keep me informed, Birkoff. I want to know what is going on." Walter says as he pulls into the parking lot.

"Sure will. And say hello to Katherine!" Birkoff says and hangs up. Walter steps out of the car, at least now there were other people around now.

*

Walter looks around his room and sits down on his bed. He stops and looks out the window. How he wishes he wasn't alone. How he wishes he was back at Headquarters? How he wishes that Nikita was with him? Walter just felt out of place and time in the room.

He remembered the last time he spent time in this particular room was when Nikita came to visit him. She had admitted to Walter at that time that she couldn't have children. Walter had cried along with Nikita. He wanted to see Nikita happy.

"That was a long time ago, man." Walter says out loud as he shakes his head. It was right before Madeline was taken. There had been a lot that had passed during that time, and somehow, Nikita moved from one bad situation to another.

Walter rolls his head side to side and picks up the phone again. He tries to get in touch with Katherine again, but there is still no answer. Walter drops the phone down and sighs loudly. It was probably too soon to call Nikita, so Walter stood up and exited his room.

Walter walked down the hallway and smiles at some pretty operatives walking by him. They turn towards each other and starts to giggle. Walter wrinkles his nose and walks down towards the lobby of the retreat.

"WALTER! YOU SLY DOG!" Gannon hollers and Walter stops. All of a sudden, the lady operatives giggles made sense to him.

"Gannon, what have you been telling these operatives?" Walter demands as he slaps Gannon's extended hand and laughs heartily. At least there was someone here that he knew.

"Just this and that. I told them to run if you started to call them sugar!" Gannon says and Walter shakes his head sadly. Gannon looks at Walter and the look. Gannon stops Walter's head with a hand.

"What is wrong with Nikita?" Gannon asks and Walter nods his head.

"She killed Stephen yesterday. She is beaten up pretty badly." Walter says and looks away.

"Well… did you finally get the indoor pool running?" Walter asks with a big grin, trying to change the topic. He needed to get about the other operatives until he could get in touch with Katherine.

"Yes. It's the ladies hour to swim." Gannon says and Walter wrinkles his eyes up.

"Ladies hour? I want to swim!" Walter complains and Gannon laughs hard.

"We made the policy because of you!" Gannon jokes as he slaps Walter's arm hard. Walter blinks and stares at the man.

"Maybe I will just go back down to the store and wait for the owner to return. I need some tea." Walter says as he turns abruptly and moves back to his room.

He didn't like it here. It wasn't Headquarters. Walter shakes his head. When did he become so attached to operatives? Walter opens his bedroom door and rolls his head around. He couldn't remember a time he had been this tense.

Walter picks up the phone and dials the store's phone again.

"Hello?" Katherine asks softly and Walter sits down on the bed. He blinks as he tries not to panic with the voice.

"Katherine. It is so good to here your voice again." Walters says and he hears something fall from her hands.

"Walter." Katherine says and Walter stands up.

"I am at the retreat. Let me come down and see you." Walter says as he starts to grab his coat.

"Not now, Walter. How about tonight?" Katherine asks and Walter sits down.

"What is wrong, Katherine?" Walter asks.

"Nothing. I would just much rather have dinner with you." Katherine says and Walter nods his head.

"Fine. 7 o'clock?"

"Yes, See you at seven, Walter." Katherine says and hangs the phone up.

*

Walter had stumbled his way around the retreat for about two hours. He watched some of the operative watch him carefully. The only time Walter felt comfortable was when he walked into the area that stored the weapons, and when he walked out on the long balcony.

Walter returned to his room and picked up the phone.

"Hello, sugar." Walter says as the phone picks up. Michael never picks up their home line.

"Walter!" Nikita screams and proceeds to hang up on him. Walter blinks his eyes and dials the number again.

"Sugar, how are you feeling?" Walter asks, not even saying hello.

"Damn it, Walter!" Nikita moans out with some tears and proceeds to hang up on Walter again.

Walter stands up and walks around the room, before picking up the phone. He dials the number again, and as the phone is picked up, he hears Nikita's sobs.

"Nikita, sugar. Talk to me." Walter says softly and he prays that Nikita holds onto the phone this time.

"I made such a fool of myself…. Damn it…" Nikita says and Walter jumps at the statement.

"Don't hang up, Nikita. Talk to me." Walter says and he is blessed by hearing some more of Nikita's tears. Walter leans against the wall, wishing he were closer so he could hug her. She deserved so much more than this.

"I made you uncomfortable…. You can't be my father… because I am cursed. I'm cursed…. Now Madeline isn't even able to speak to me…. I killed Stephen and it is like my life has stopped. I hurt so badly and it hurts to breathe. I can't take this much longer." Nikita rattles off and Walter almost feels like his heart is breaking along with her words.

"Sugar… slow down. Like I have said… I have a fondness for you that is more than a father. Ok?" Walter says and it does not slow Nikita's tears.

"I am such a fool to think that anyone will forgive me for what I have done!" Nikita screams out and Walter blinks in confusion.

"You think I won't forgive you for asking me to be your father? Sugar, I wish I was. How could I be upset at you for that!" Walter asks and Nikita moans out loudly.

"NO! FOR KILLING STEPHEN! FOR KILLING OPERATIONS SON!" Nikita screams and Walter sighs softly, and is sure that Nikita did not hear him. Walter closes his eyes and thinks about what else Nikita had mentioned.

"Nikita, why isn't Madeline talking to you? I thought she came to visit you today?" Walter asks as he rubs his forehead. Maybe he should have called Madeline first.

"She stared at me. She stared at me… And no words. I hurt." Nikita cries out and Walter rubs his nose.

"Nikita, maybe you should rest. Is Michael there?" Walter asks and he waits, as there is silence.

"Nikita?" Walter calls out, and there is no response. Walter stands up and starts to pace in the room.

"Nikita?" Walter calls out, as there is some noise on the line.

"Walter." Michael says and Walter sits down on the foot of the bed.

"What is going on, Michael? She is crying about Madeline not talking to her. Didn't Madeline visit?" Walter asks and he starts to twist his hand in the cover as he waits for the answer.

"Nikita.. Take the medicine. Nikita!" Michael says, trying not to be heard by Walter.

"Madeline did visit, but they sat in the room staring at each other. It was like Madeline was afraid of saying the wrong thing. Therefore, Nikita took the entire visit the wrong way." Michael says.

"Damn… I should come back." Walter says.

"Walter, this is not all about that." Michael says and then stops. Michael remembers that they are under orders not to tell anyone else.

"What do you mean by that?" Walter asks and Michael swallows hard.

"Ah, well, you know fertility drugs. They can really give you mood swings. Now, Nikita… stop dancing…. Walter, I have to go before Nikita goes streaking down the hallway!" Michael says and hangs up.

Walter sits on the bed and blinks. Michael was lying. He didn't like this one bit. Walter bite his lip and did not pack his clothing and head back to Headquarters. He was going to wait it out and see what happens.

*

The night was just starting to take the sky hostage as Walter stepped out of the car and moved towards the store. He stopped and looked up at the sky. Nikita always liked walking in the night. It seemed to soothe her soul and her nerves. All the negative energy that Nikita would be walking around with, would just float up into the dark skies on a trip to the stars.

Walter had enjoyed those walks with Nikita. It was refreshing to be with Nikita and watch the calmness and then the rational come back to the young lady. Walter stops and shakes his head. No wonder Nikita asked him to be her father, he had acted that way for years. Walter can't remember when the relationship just shifted like that. It just happened.

Walter knocks on the door and Katherine, with circles under her eyes opens the door. She watches as Walter enters the living area of the store and looks around.

"Walter?" Katherine asks and Walter shakes his head, bringing his thoughts off of Nikita and tries to focus on Katherine.

"Katherine. I am sorry." Walter says as he leans over and kisses her cheek. Katherine leads Walter to the couch. She can tell something is wrong, and it didn't take a guess to figure out what about.

"What is with Nikita this time?" Katherine asks as she sits down. Walter looks from the window and then to Katherine.

"Oh. Ah…. She shot her half brother." Walter says and Katherine drops her mouth in shock.

"That must be awful." Katherine says and Walter smirks broadly.

"No. I think she really meant it." Walter says and Katherine raises an eyebrow.

"It was my boss's… Nikita's boss's SON." Walter says and Katherine looks at Walter in horror.

"Is she… ah…" Katherine asks and stops when Walter starts to shake his head.

"No. She will not be killed. Her life is going to be in the air for a while." Walter says and Katherine nods her head and drops her head in pain.

Walter lifts Katherine's chin up and studies her face. Walter looks into her eyes and then pulls his hand away.

"What is wrong, Katherine?" Walter asks and Katherine looks away slightly.

"I am sick, Walter." Katherine informs slowly.

"What do you mean by sick?" Walter asks. He looks at Katherine's body and then holds her hand.

"I am dying, Walter." Katherine says and Walter's already solemn face grows paler and heavier.

"No." Walter says softly, shaking his head.

"I had a mastectomy of both breasts a few months ago. It was already too late." Katherine says as she stands up from the couch. Walter looks down at his hands and then to Katherine.

"Cancer." Walter says closing his eyes, trying to maintain his composure.

"Yes. And it is spreading and killing me slowly." Katherine says. Walter rolls his head around and then looks at Katherine again.

"How long?" Walter asks and Katherine turns from the doorway she was standing in.

"Maybe a year." Katherine says and Walter stands up and takes her hands.

"I will stay here." Walter says and Katherine shakes her head.

"I can't ask you to do that, Walter. You and I both know that Nikita needs you… along with many others." Katherine says and Walter shakes his head.

"No. A year is not long enough for us." Walter says and Katherine shakes her head.

"Walter, I just don't want to be alone when I die. That is all I ask for." Katherine says and Walter nods his head. He will be there.

"What about treatments?" Walter asks and Katherine nods her head.

"Traditional methods stopped a while ago, Walter. I went back to my people." Katherine says and Walter nods his head. Section One had the same methods as Katherine's government did. There was nothing more that Walter could do but be there when she died.

"Now…. I do have to eat." Katherine says and Walter slowly nods his head. All of sudden, his worries had multiplied ten fold.

*

Walter did not go to sleep that night. He could not close his eyes. If he did shut them, he saw Nikita. Then he would open his eyes and try again, and then he would see Katherine. He could not stop thinking. Maybe that was how Nikita was feeling now. She had demons that she didn't want to face, so she tried to run.

Walter walked outside and sat down on the bench and looked up at the sky above. He couldn't allow Nikita and Katherine become demons to him. They were who made his life right.

"I take it that Katherine told you." Gannon says as he walks out to Walter. Walter turns and looks at Gannon and nods his head. Gannon sits down and looks at Walter.

"She wasn't going to tell you. We all saw it, and I begged her to tell you. I hope it was the right thing to do." Gannon says concernedly. Walter squeezes his eyes shut and then turns his head towards Gannon.

"There is so much going on. So many things to worry about." Walter says and Gannon looks at Walter and then to the sky.

"Or are you worried that you are going to lose both Katherine and Nikita?" Gannon asks and Walter stares at Gannon and then quickly turns away.

"You are. You are afraid that some day, Operation is going to snap and take Nikita away from you. You are afraid of being alone." Gannon says and Walter tilts his head back.

"It never use to matter. I don't know when this happened." Walter says and Gannon smiles softly.

"Blame Nikita." Gannon says and Walter laughs softly. He looks at Gannon and nods his head.

"Nikita sometimes reminds me a of a little girl. Especially today. And I want to go and protect her, and now Katherine… she needs me.. But she is telling me to be with Nikita." Walter says and Gannon pulls out a piece of paper.

"Do what Section tells you." Gannon say and Walter pulls at the paper and Gannon tries to grab it back. Walter looks and studies it and drops his head.

"Section has known." Walter says and Gannon takes the paper back.

"Madeline. I told Madeline." Gannon says and Walter blinks his eyes.

"So she planned my time with her. What if she lives longer than a year? It won't fit their plans.. Will they kill her?" Walter asks and Gannon looks at Walter and feels pity for the man.

The cell phone from Gannon's pocket starts to ring. Gannon listens and then pulls it down from his ear.

"They need you back." Gannon says and Walter stares at Gannon.

"Nikita?" Walter asks with a broken voice and Gannon nods his head.

"He is leaving now. He has to stop at the store for some coffee." Gannon says and stands up. Gannon walks away quickly.

*

Walter walked to the store door and started to knock softly. He watched the light come on and then Katherine slowly walked down the stairs.

"Walter." Katherine says as she holds her robe and lets Walter in. Walter walks in and takes Katherine's hands softly.

"I know I just got here." Walter says and Katherine smiles softly and touches his cheek.

"Nikita is in trouble." Katherine says and Walter nods his head.

"How much?" Katherine asks and Walter shrugs his shoulders and then turns towards the door.

"Madeline called. She hasn't called for me like this… in a while." Walter says and Katherine looks at Walter and nods her head.

"Is this out of character for Nikita? Isn't this an extreme reaction for one that kills on a regular basis?" Katherine asks and Walter looks back to Katherine.

"She had to work on a serial killer case… it had a copy cat killer… it was her half brother. He turned violent against late term pregnant women. He knew Nikita was having problems with conceiving. This death of his was a long time coming. Now, Nikita has to deal with everything all over again." Walter says and Katherine licks her lips and then hugs Walter.

"You tell her that I want them to come up for dinner. SOON! We'll get them to relax!" Katherine says and Walter smiles.

"Thank you" Walter mouths as he turns and leaves. * "She is not speaking to anyone." Michael says as he opens the door and looks upstairs. He was tempted to tell Walter the truth, but stopped.

Walter nodded his head and walked upstairs. He looked at Melissa and nodded his head as she moved away from Nikita. He sat down by her bed and stroked her hair.

"Ok, Nikita… I'll be your father… I'm here…" Walter says softly and Nikita hugs Walter tightly.

"I can't believe I pulled the trigger." Nikita says softly and Walter nods his head and strokes her hair.

"Nikita, he was bad. You know this. Don't feel guilty. Operations is upset because he failed as a father. He is not mad at you for ridding ourselves of the evil man." Walter says and Nikita nods her head. Nikita smiles softly.

"Then why was Stephen always his favorite? Now, Trevor will be. He doesn't like me. I never did anything to him but be born." Nikita says and Walter nods his head as Michael tiptoes into the room.

"Look." Michael says as he pulls out a huge bouquet of flowers. Nikita's face sparkles with a smile. Walter steps back and look at Michael as he sits down next to Nikita.

"I'm going to make some tea, Nikita." Walter says and smiles. He moved down the stairs, and Walter didn't even notice that he no longer felt alone.

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