There were some people in Section One, which Madeline did not tend to watch over carefully. They seemed tough as nails and could handle anything and everything. One such person use to be Michael, but Madeline had learned that things had effected Michael differently. Madeline learned that she must watch out for anyone she could. That was why she had Ida recruited. It was critical.

But even as Madeline knew this, there was a person, which she once carried about, that she would not automatically think as having problems. He was tough, and would solve his own problems. At least, that was what Madeline believed.

Madeline stepped out of her office with several files in her hands. She moved down the hallway, and although there was a sense that something was missing, she ignored it and continued down to Birkoff. She pushed her hair back and smiled.

Madeline had identified the missing presence, at least she thought. She had sent Michael and Nikita home for three days. Madeline had a surprise for Nikita at the end of the three days, but she was not going to speak a word of it to Nikita until that day arrived.

"Birkoff… I want these files checked for problems. We have been having too many injuries on the field." Madeline says and Birkoff raises his head softly.

"I know… you are having a rough time… with Melissa not with you…" Madeline says as she sees the tired eyes of Birkoff. Madeline pulls a chair over and sits down next to Birkoff.

"But, I think in time, that you two will heal…. You have to believe that, Birkoff." Madeline says as she pats his shoulder. Madeline internally smiled. Things would get much better for Birkoff once he realizes that Melissa did tell him the truth.

"I'm fine about that. There is just a bit too much work here." Birkoff says as he motions to the three computers going at the same time. Now, each station had computers going and Madeline looked back at Birkoff.

"Why? We don't have many missions right now." Madeline asks and Birkoff swallows and looks at Madeline.

"Well… Aldick crashed the weapons computer… so I have to put that back online… then we had some incoming Intel to us, that should have been sent to Moscow… and then we have the outgoing mission to New Hampshire.. But the weather is bad.. So I am monitoring weather conditions…" Birkoff starts to explain and Madeline pulls her hands away.

"How did Aldick crash the weapons computer?" Madeline asked and Birkoff rolled his eyes.

"Because he doesn't know his numbers yet!" Birkoff says rudely and Madeline stares at Birkoff intensely.

"That did not answer my question… why was Aldick using the computer? Walter always uses it." Madeline says and Birkoff smiles.

"Walter… ah.. Isn't at the retreat.. And isn't here. Do you have any idea where he is? I would like to know so I can send all the complaining operatives to him!" Birkoff says and Madeline stands up and raises an eyebrow.

"I don't know that Birkoff. I thought he was here." Madeline says and Birkoff looks at Madeline with a stare that came close to Michael's. Madeline narrowed her eyes. The stare was just too scary.

"I don't know where he is." Birkoff replies and Madeline looks up to the office.

"Has there been any missions that Operations might have sent him on?" Madeline asks and Birkoff pushes a button on the computer.

"Nope… not unless he was going to be a hot swimsuit contestant in the Bikini World Championships!" Birkoff says sharply and Madeline presses her lips.

"Don't worry about those files… Try to locate Walter for me." Madeline says as she starts to move away.

"Should I get in contact with Katherine?" Birkoff asks and Madeline stops.

"She has her own problems. Do not bother her. Gannon has gone back to the retreat. Contact him." Madeline says, as she looks at the stairs, ready to talk to Operations.

*

Madeline opened the door and looked away as she saw the young Trevor holding his crutches, sitting in a chair, and facing Operations. She heard the laughter from the young boy and it caused Madeline to drop her head.

"Madeline… is it important?" Operations asks and Madeline nods her head. She watches Operations walk over to Trevor and help him up from the seat. Operations then held out the crutches and helped Trevor start towards the door.

Trevor stopped and smiled at Madeline. He turned around to look at Operations.

"Am I going to get to see, my half-sister?" Trevor asks and Madeline steps further into the office.

"You have already met Anna." Madeline says and Trevor laughs.

"I mean.. am I going to get to meet my half sister, Nikita… as a half sister?" Trevor clarifies and Madeline looks to the glass window.

"Not, now. Maybe a few days." Operations says and Trevor turns to Madeline.

"I like her as a friend. She saved my life twice!" Trevor says and Madeline smiles and nods her head.

"She is off for a few days, Trevor. We will see what I can do then." Madeline says and Trevor nods his head and starts out of the office. Operations stands at the door and watches the boy walk down the stairs with the crutches and then slams the door.

"You knew I had planned time with Trevor!" Operations hollers and Madeline blinks her eyes and moves towards the desk.

"Have you seen Walter?" Madeline asks and Operations face stops scowling.

"I thought you sent him back to the retreat." Operations says and Madeline presses her lips together.

"No. And he is not in headquarters." Madeline says and Operations stares at Madeline as she walks to the glass window and looks out over Section. She felt guilty for not missing Walter sooner.

"You still care for him." Operations says and Madeline turns around and drops her head.

"Yes. But this is more than what I feel. I am worried." Madeline says and Operations stares at Madeline.

"Why? Nothing has changed… and wait… in about 10 days.. he is going to be the happiest man around when Nikita tells him that she is pregnant." Operations says with a bright smile. Madeline nods her head and turns back to the glass window. She watches Birkoff work quickly. When he slams his hand down on the desk, she knows that there are now problems.

"So you didn't get my memo?" Madeline asks and Operations turns back to his desk, which like never before, is swamped with papers.

"Madeline.. I have had other problems to worry about… namely Trevor and Nikita." Operations says and Madeline turns around.

"I think you should worry more about Nikita… but this is important too." Madeline says and Operations stares at her.

"The memo would tell you what I found out about Katherine." Madeline says and Operations laughs.

"Talk about meddling into relationships!" Operations says loudly and Madeline's face drops to a shade of gray.

"She is dying." Madeline says and she turns back to the window.

"But you have your own problems. I will find Walter myself." Madeline says and walks out of the office. Operations stares at Madeline's exit point and then to the desk. He turns and starts to go through the papers. He wanted to know what was going on.

*

Madeline held the heavy coat to her body as she entered the building. She turned her head to the side and then back to the room in front of her. It was quiet, in a different kind of silence that was found inside Section One. It was almost, peaceful.

Madeline held the coat as she moved down the room and looked at the variety of computers on the tables. Madeline stopped and pressed her lips together and moves to the corner computer.

"You aren't going to find anything that hasn't been tried." Madeline says softly and Walter continues to stare at the computer.

"Maybe you are wrong." Walter says as he focuses on the screen.

"Walter." Madeline says softly and Walter jerks his head around.

"I have to try." Walter replies as Madeline bends down to be more level with Walter.

"Walter.. this is unhealthy. You need to be there for her.. not this." Madeline says and Walter swallows. She sees Walter trying to maintain his composure.

"I have the time, Madeline. I am taking it to do what I feel needs to be done." Walter says and Madeline stands up and puts her hands on Walter's shoulders.

"Can we talk somewhere else?" Madeline asks softly. Walter closes his eyes as he feels Madeline's body near his.

"No.. because then I lose the control. I have work to do here, Madeline." Walter says and Madeline pulls her body closer to Walter and pulls up the suit. The "W" tattoo is shown to him.

"Walter… I still care for you.. and I don't want to see you self-destruct." Madeline says and Walter pulls at Madeline's shirt.

"That isn't for you to decided. If I want to self-destruct.. it will be my choice." Walter says and he turns back towards the computer.

"Walter.. there are a lot of people who need you. What about Birkoff? What about Nikita? Have you thought about them?" Madeline asks and Walter stands up and takes the bag he was carrying.

"Madeline.. I came here to get information because I don't want all of Section knowing. I need space." Walter says and walks out of the library. Madeline slides down into the chair that Walter had occupied and looks at the screen.

Madeline's fingers started to move automatically over the keyboard. She pulled up the sites that Walter had visited and stopped as she saw the one name.

It was a site that Madeline had found often in some operative's bookmarks. Madeline jotted down the website addresses and then stood up. She needed to reach Walter soon. She knew that he was hurting, and although Madeline did not want to do it, she was going to have to play dirty to save Walter from himself.

*

The day was too nice to look at, Walter thought as he walked. He couldn't remember how long he had been walking, but in a way it felt good. He looked up at the sky and said silent prayers. All that Section had done to him, and now this might be the one thing to push him to the edge.

"Walter." A voice says softly and Walter turns around to find Nikita in a heavy sweat suit.

"Madeline got you." Walter says and Nikita nods her head.

"Yes. She did. But I came because I am concerned." Nikita says and Walter shakes his head.

"Katherine is dying… I can't do anything…. I hate that." Walter says and Nikita lifts her head.

"Walter, Madeline traced the websites you visited. Please talk to me." Nikita says and Walter turns and looks at her firmly.

"They were cancer sites." Walter says with a choking voice. Nikita looks to the side and then back to Walter.

"Walter…. Don't lie." Nikita says and Walter drops his head. Nikita steps forward and places a hand on his chin. She lifts his chin.

"Walter… I've seen them. Now, come to my home and talk to me." Nikita says and Walter pulls away sharply. Nikita drops her head backwards and tries to calm herself.

"Walter! DON'T!" Nikita screams and Walter continues down the path. Nikita looks both ways and starts to run, although both Elana and Michael warned her not to do that yet. Nikita could feel the sore muscles pulling.

"PLEASE! WALTER! I NEED YOU!" Nikita screams out as her legs just tremble and she leans against a tree.

There was something in Nikita's plead that made Walter turn around, and in that instance, fear ran through his blood. He remembered Nikita screaming in the white room in pain, and fear rocked his body.

"Are you ok?" Walter asks as he steps back towards the tree. Nikita looks up him and then to the side.

"Walter… I am not ok… when you are like this. Let me help." Nikita says and Walter lifts his head and looks up at the sky.

"Nikita… nothing is good enough. Katherine is dying… She is leaving me.. I don't want that." Walter says and Nikita pushes away from the tree.

"Then I can't wait for you to go with her. I can't suffer trying to help you when you don't want it." Nikita says as she steps away and looks back to her car. It was not far and Nikita was grateful for that.

"What?" Walter asks in a confused voice.

"Good-bye, Walter…." Nikita says and turns around and starts towards her car. Walter watches the slight limp in Nikita and looks to the ground.

"Nikita! Stop!" Walter says softly, but Nikita continues to walk.

"Nikita!" Walter screams and Nikita stops, but does not turn around.

"Walter… if you so desperately want to be with Katherine…. No one is going to stop you." Nikita says as she walks to her car and opens it.

"Nikita. Don't leave." Walter says and Nikita looks at Walter jogs towards her.

"I'm going home Walter. You make the choice. Is if more important to plan your death to correspond with Katherine's… or is it more important to enjoy the life that Katherine has left and the life you have left." Nikita says as she closes her door and speeds out of the parking lot.

*

"Nikita…." Michael says as he enters the bedroom that Nikita was talking to Walter in. Walter had left ten minutes ago, with the same stern look that he had entered with. Michael could only listen to Nikita's cries for so long, and Melissa was highly concerned.

"Michael…. I couldn't get to him." Nikita says and she drops the paper from her hand. Michael picks up the paper and sees the website.

"I know this site." Michael says and Nikita looks at Michael.

"I had to visit it while you were being trained. Madeline was concerned." Michael says and Nikita looks away. She didn't want to delve into her problems. It was Walter that was the concern.

"Michael…" Nikita says and Michael places two fingers to her lips.

"I saw it.. and I wanted to shake you out of it… but letting you work it out seemed to work. Maybe this will work out, Nikita." Michael says and Nikita drops her head again.

"Michael… I want our child to know Walter! I can't see raising a child without him being around!" Nikita screams out and Michael nods his head.

"I know, Nikita…. But we can't force our wants and our dreams onto someone else." Michael says and Nikita drops her face down in the pillow.

"Section has done it to us! Why can't we!" Nikita cries out in muffled screams and Michael leans his head back and rubs Nikita's back.

"Nikita, I am sure that by the time we get to tell Walter… he will be his old self again. I am positive." Michael says and Nikita lifts her head up.

"I want to be positive now." Nikita says and Michael laughs softly.

"Nikita… the only thing you are positive of right now is that I love you and that you are pregnant. OK?" Michael says and Nikita rolls over on her back and nods her head.

"You never cry." Madeline says as she sees the glistening tears rolling down Walter's face. Walter wipes them and turns his head.

"You should do that more often." Madeline says and Walter looks at her.

"I feel guilty when I think about life after Katherine… She is still alive.. and I shouldn't think about what happens after she is gone." Walter says and Madeline slightly nods her head.

"Then you have to live now. You have to go on.. and not worry that tomorrow is going to be the last day… because if you think that way… soon. You'll be living has if the next minute to come is your last minute. You need hope.. and I know you have that." Madeline says and Walter drops his head to her shoulder and cries for several minutes.

"I want to go back to the retreat." Walter says and Madeline pats his head and lifts it up.

"I know… that you do… But can you wait a few days." Madeline asks as she stares at Walter.

"Is this about Nikita?" Walter asks and Madeline nods her head.

"She is all right? She hasn't seemed like herself." Walter says and Madeline smiles.

"Just stay a few days… and take all the time you want to talk to Katherine." Madeline says and she stops at the door.

"And Walter?" Madeline calls out. Walter looks towards Madeline.

"Yes?" Walter says.

"If you need to cry… you can call on me anytime. I can support you." Madeline says and moves down the hallway. Walter picks up the phone.

"Hey yah, Katherine!" Walter says with a smile.

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