Walter walked down the stairs with a smile on his face. There was a mess in the living room, dining room and the kitchen of Michael's and Nikita's house, but that did not matter. Nikita was happy and their friendship had just been put back in place. Walter smiles as he notes that Birkoff installed a newer security system that he was sure that Madeline and Operations had no idea about yet.

Madeline was walking down the stairs as she thought. There had been a lot going on in Section One of late. There was Nikita, but she could not forget that Walter was going through a hard time himself. He had to still be hurting with the knowledge that Katherine was dying. It was not good. Madeline's heart went out to Walter, as she never did stop caring for him.

"How about I start in the living room and you take the dining room?" Walter asks and Madeline nods her head and starts to work. There were a variety of things to clean up, but smartly, Birkoff and Walter had bough meat trays that could just be thrown in the trash.

"Do you have the garbage bags?" Madeline calls out and Walter throws them at Madeline quickly. It hits Madeline in the head and she stares at Walter.

"Be careful next time." Madeline says sternly and Walter laughs.

"There won't be a next time!" Walter comments and Madeline throws the garbage bags back to Walter and moves quickly to fill up her bag.

"Walter.. I need another garbage bag." Madeline says with a smug little smile. Walter rolls his eyes and this time, tosses the garbage bags to her. Madeline catches them and smiles.

"Thank you, Walter." Madeline says sweetly and Walter turns his head shaking it as he picks up the last of the wrapping paper and piles the last shirt on the pile of shirts for Michael and Nikita.

"Do we have a lot of dishes?" Walter asks as he walks through the dining room, surprised at Madeline's room almost being done.

"Nope. Run the hot water and put some soap in it." Madeline says. Walter nods his head and walks into the kitchen. Madeline pushes the last of the plastic silverware and ties up the garbage bag. Michael was just going to have to take them out in the morning. Madeline was sure that Michael would not mind at all.

Madeline turns towards the kitchen to see if Walter needed help. Madeline enters to find a large amount of bubbles in the sink, and Walter trying to blow a large bubble by ringing his index finger and thumb together. Madeline turns off the water and looks at Walter as he drops his hand and guiltily looks away. Madeline shakes her head.

"You are worse than Anna." Madeline says as she starts to wash the dishes. There weren't many and Madeline took the time to clean up the extra bubbles that Walter had splattered around the kitchen.

"It is just like you to try to mess up their house more than it was before we started to clean." Madeline says with a smart smile on her face. Walter smiles and rubs the back of his neck. Madeline dries her hands off in the towel and watches Walter.

He drops his head down and tries to rub at the neck. It was very difficult to do so by yourself. Madeline drops the towel and places her own warm hands on his neck and shoulders to start rubbing. Madeline's eyes expand as she feels the tension in Walter's back.

"Walter!" Madeline exclaims as she tries to work against the tense muscles.

"There has been a lot going on, Madeline." Walter says softly and Madeline turns her head, trying to see Walter's face. Its expression has drifted to that of a sad face. Madeline pulls her body back up and continues to work her hands against Walter's back muscles.

"This isn't healthy, Walter." Madeline says and Walter shrugs his shoulders back and sighs. Madeline continues and then stops. She pats his back and walks around to face Walter.

"Tell you what… Let's go.. and I'll give you a correct massage back in Section. I need to loosen you up." Madeline says and Walter shakes his head.

"I don't think that it is a good idea…" Walter says and Madeline smiles.

"I think I know what is best. Please. I want to do this for you." Madeline says and Walter nods his head. They turn off the lights to the kitchen and hurry out of the house as quietly as possible.

*

Madeline turns on her light to the quarters and turns for Walter to enter. She smiles and moves to the kitchen to make some coffee and to start warming the rubbing oils for Walter's back massage.

"Would you like something to drink?" Madeline asks and Walter looks around and then back to Madeline.

"Where is Anna?" Walter asks and Madeline drops her head and pulls open the refrigerator and looks in.

"I have some Pepsi.. or even some apple juice." Madeline says and Walter smiles and nods his head.

"Coffee will be fine. So… Anna is with her father?" Walter asks and Madeline nods her head and pulls the oil out of the warming water and motions for the rug in the middle of the living room.

"I would normally use my chair or my table for this.. but you are really tense, Walter. Is there something you need to talk about?" Madeline asks and Walter shakes his head as he gets onto the floor slowly. Madeline laughs as she stands up and looks down at Walter.

"Your shirt…. Probably the pants too." Madeline says with a smile and Walter turns a slight shade of red, and then quickly undresses. Madeline pulls off her strict blue business jacket and rolls up the sleeves to her white blouse.

"Nikita seemed happy." Madeline says as she rubs Walter's back softly to warm up the cool muscles. She straddles Walter's legs and sits down as she picks up the oil and slowly pours some onto Walter's back.

"Yes… I hope she can stay that way…" Walter says and Madeline smiles and nods her head. She begins to just spread the oil out across Walter's firm back.

"She is pregnant. She is going to be emotional." Madeline says and Walter lets out a chuckle and Madeline smiles.

"Well.. more emotional than normal." Madeline modifies the statement and Walter rolls his head to the right side and lets out a soft moan. Madeline smiles and nods her head. She starts to rub more intensely just around the neck.

"Walter… I know you are going through a lot.. with Katherine.. and I want you to know that I am here for you." Madeline says slowly and Walter nods his head.

"I know that, Madeline. You are always here." Walter says and Madeline nods her head. Madeline moves her body further up onto Walter's legs and now she is straddling Walter's behind.

"I miss giving you massages.. but I have to say… I am not enjoying giving this one right now." Madeline says and Walter half grins.

"That tight?" Walter asks and Madeline smiles and lets out a deep laugh.

"Tight? I am not sure if this is muscle or steel!" Madeline comments and Walter laughs loudly, which causes Madeline to bounce up and down on his legs. Madeline looks to the side and picks up the oil quickly. It has chilled. Madeline stands up and notices that she has not gotten colder, but hotter.

"Let's go have some coffee and warm more oil up. I have another oil that is more relaxing. A Chinese Herbalist made it for me." Madeline says and Walter rolls over with a happy smile on his face.

"That is fine. I am rather thirsty myself." Walter says and Madeline throws him a towel so that he doesn't get the oil all over his shirt and so that he doesn't get cold.

*

Madeline led Walter back to the living room rug and helped him down. Her hands felt like they were sizzling as she touched his back. She hurriedly pulled at the new oil and poured more onto his back.

"Oh, that is nice." Walter says and Madeline inhales the scent herself. She had loved using it on herself. She licked her lips and worked on Walter's back.

In a few minutes, Madeline had closed her eyes and worked against Walter's back and lower back. Walter moaned out and closed his own eyes. She was always so good in giving massages.

Madeline's hands slipped lower and Walter's eyes bolted open. Madeline looked down and smiled at Walter.

"What is it, Walter?" Madeline chokes out and Walter shakes his head.

"I think you have done enough." Walter says and Madeline continues to massage as she slips underneath the boxers.

"Walter… you need to release this tension." Madeline says as she leans down and kisses the back of his neck.

"Oh…. Ah.." Walter moans out as he feels Madeline's hands clutch is behind tightly. He closed his eyes. He didn't want to do this in his mind, but his body was running away from him.

"Madeline….. this has gone far enough…" Walter says in a shaky voice and Madeline looks at him as he looks over his shoulder.

"If it was enough…. You would have stood up by now." Madeline says and she leans her head down. Soon, their lips meet and Madeline groans in the back of her throat. Her hands come out from the boxers and run up Walter's back as she slides down on the rug next to Walter.

Walter turns and looks at Madeline as she displays her body. Walter leans down and kisses her lips again. It was like coming home. This was familiar, this was comfort. He had no worries in these moments. His hands slowly popped the buttons off of Madeline's blouse and Madeline pulled at his boxers.

Walter stopped and looked at Madeline. She nods her head and Walter looks around.

"It's all right, Walter. Just this night." Madeline says as she wraps her hand around the back of Walter's head and brings his lips down to hers again.

Walter shifts his body, and moves more above Madeline. He kisses at Madeline's face and neck, and slides the bra off.

"Have I told you how beautiful you are?" Walter asks as he dives his head down into Madeline's chest. Madeline leans her head back and begins to softly pant.

"Walter…" Madeline moans out as he slides her skirt off of her legs.

"Madeline… we should stop…" Walter says as he moves across her body with his mouth open and his eyes closed.

"Do you want to?" Madeline asks and Walter licks at her belly button as he pulls at the thongs.

"No… no… I want this…" Walter pants out in his own need to release the tension in his body.

"Good… I want it too." Madeline says as she brings Walter's mouth back up to hers and aligns her body with Walter's.

*

Nikita steps out of the house and looks in front of the yard. There was Walter's battered up Jeep with the mud still caked on it. Nikita looks and turns back to Michael as he steps out and closes the door.

"Why is Walter's Jeep still here?" Nikita asks and Michael looks at Nikita and shrugs his shoulders.

"I think he just had it fixed. I wonder if he had problems." Michael says as Nikita steps forward and Nikita wrinkles her nose up.

"But that ain't like Walter. He would have left a note for us." Nikita says and Michael rubs Nikita's shoulders.

"BARK BARK BARK BARK BARK BARK!" Lori's dog loudly starts as he runs out from the bushes and attacks Michael. Michael steps back from Nikita and the dog steps between Michael and Nikita and growls.

"Hey.. boy.. shhh.." Nikita says, but the dog wiggles it's butt at Nikita and continues to growl.

"SPICE!!! SPICE!!!" Lori hollers but the dog does not stop. Nikita turns to Lori in amusement and smiles.

"A little protective?" Michael asks and Lori picks up the dog and smiles at Michael.

"Ah.. ah.. a bit." Lori says as she looks at Michael and then quickly looks at Nikita.

"Actually, I have never seen Spice do anything like that before." Lori says and Nikita smiles and Lori looks to the car and then back to Michael and Nikita.

"I saw you had a party." Lori says and Michael tries to wrap his arm around Nikita, but the dog begins to growl again. Michael steps back.

"Yes, my friends threw it for me." Nikita says and Michael looks around and then to his watch.

"Michael… a few minutes isn't going to matter…" Nikita says in a harsh tone and he drops his hand back down. Lori glimpses at Michael out of the corner of her eyes and turns her attention back to Nikita.

"Well… the last two.. they headed out of here quickly…. They ran to the car and left with a squeal. I thought you knew that." Lori says and Nikita arches an eyebrow at Michael.

"Nikita was tired. They sent us to bed and finished cleaning up for us. Work has been particularly hard." Michael says as he chokes back the words \lquote and emotional'.

"The car… was it a sporty black car?" Nikita asks and Lori nods her head.

"And lots of chrome.. it looked like I am Woman..HEAR ME ROAR." Lori says and Nikita laughs loudly.

"That would be Madeline's car!" Michael says and Lori looks to the Jeep and then to Michael.

"But wasn't that Jeep the man's with the bandana?" Lori bravely asks as she keeps her eyes away from Michael's green eyes.

"Yes. I am sure he had problems." Michael says and Lori shakes her head.

"He didn't even try it." Lori says and Nikita looks at Michael and swallows. What had happened last night?

"Michael… we better get going." Nikita says and Michael nods his head and tries to wrap his arm around Nikita, but Spice, the dog, begins to growl again. Michael drops his arm and walks behind Nikita.

"Bye Lori!" Nikita calls out and the tall woman walks back to her house. Nikita laughs and looks at Michael.

"She likes you." Nikita says as she opens the door and steps into the car.

*

There was a phone ringing, and Walter tried to open his eyes. The phone continued to ring as his eyes shut again.

It was then that he felt his body. Tired, used, and sore. He opened his eyes as there was movement by his legs. There was sheet barely over his body and he shook his head, hoping to bring back the exact thoughts that put him where he was.

"Hello?" Madeline asked with a raw voice that brought Walter back to the events that had happened. He sits up and places his hands over his face. He feels the guilt fill his body as he looks around at the mess they had made of Madeline's bedroom.

"And her condition?" Madeline asked and Walter kept his eyes from her. All the memories flooded back. In the heat of the moment, it was great for the both of them, but now, it was wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong! Walter shook his head and rubbed his forehead. He couldn't believe he lost his control so easily.

"Keep me posted." Madeline said and Walter looked around, hoping that his underwear were close enough for him to grab. Madeline held a piece of the sheet over her body.

Walter looks at Madeline and stops. She was always so beautiful. Then he started to yell at himself again. How could he have done this?

"I will tell him." Madeline said and hanged up the phone. It was then that she saw Walter and dropped her head. She had the same feelings when she first woke up. They had acted irrationally, but really, Madeline believed that Walter needed that night.

"Walter…" Madeline says and Walter starts to shake his head.

"Don't say anything… We both know what happened last night… and I am just going to get dress and leave." Walter says and Madeline reaches for his arm.

"This isn't about last night." Madeline says and Walter's face drops to a shade of ghostly gray.

"What do you mean?" Walter asks and Madeline looks to the phone.

"That was Forehind at the Retreat. An operative was in the store… and found Katherine. She is in the hospital." Madeline says and Walter looks at her in a panic in his eyes.

"She is she all right?" Walter asks as he pulls the sheet up and throws Madeline her jacket. Madeline covers her body up and nods her head. She moves to the closet and pulls out a robe.

"She is stable." Madeline says and Walter stares at Madeline.

"But how is she? Is isn't dying, right?" Walter asks and Madeline shrugs her shoulders.

"I won't have the Intel until I have Birkoff get into the computers, Walter." Madeline says and Walter grabs at the clothing. He looks at his body and feels the stickiness and the scent of Madeline. Walter looks around and Madeline nods her head.

"You can use my shower. I'll gather you some new clothes." Madeline says and Walter nods his head and thanks Madeline with just that gesture. He turns and runs to the bathroom.

He needed to get to Katherine, and he couldn't let her know what had happened in his moment of weakness. He was so stupid, and that was all Walter could think of as the hot water pelted his skin. It was stupid of him, it was stupid of him.

*

Nikita walks down the hallway with Michael not far behind. Nikita stops and looks as Madeline runs down the hallway.

"Madeline! Wait!" Nikita calls out and Madeline stops quickly and stares at Nikita. Nikita looks into Madeline's hands and sees men's clothing.

"Did you bring Walter back here last night?" Nikita asks and Madeline nods her head. Madeline drops her free hand and slowly rubs the tattoo of the "W" she had received so many years ago. Again, Walter had showed some love and care to that tattoo.

"Yes. He was having car problems." Madeline says and Michael pulls at Nikita's belt hoop. He didn't want this to continue on.

"Car problems. Oh, so I better talk to him about getting the Jeep towed from my house." Nikita says and Madeline raises and hand and shakes her head.

"That won't be necessary. I will send someone from Section to retrieve it." Madeline says and looks around.

"Nikita, really, I am busy." Madeline says and Nikita nods her head and leans back on Michael.

"Well.. I can run those clothes down to the laundry room for you." Nikita says as she extends her hands and Madeline smiles.

"You need your rest. I will do it." Madeline says and turns quickly away. Nikita turns and starts to pull Michael to their office. Michael pushes at the door as Nikita starts to pace and shake her head.

"They slept together." Nikita says and Michael stares at Nikita.

"You don't know that." Michael says, although he had gathered the same kind of feeling.

"Michael.. She was rubbing her tattoo!" Nikita says and Michael frowns.

"Let's not go jumping to conclusions…," Michael says and Nikita turns and stares at him.

"Am I jumping to conclusions. Why else would Madeline have Walter's clothes in her hands!" Nikita calls out and Michael sits down.

"I can tell Michael. The way she was acting. The way she looked. For god's sake, Katherine is dying and Walter is in Headquarters sleeping with MADELINE!" Nikita screams and Michael looks to the wall and hopes that no one hear Nikita's scream.

"Nikita. Maybe it just happened. Maybe this wasn't intended. We don't even know if it happened!" Michael says and Nikita turns and looks at the door.

"Well, Maybe it is time to find out if it did." Nikita says and Michael grabs Nikita's arm before she opens the door.

"And what are you planning on doing?" Michael demands and Nikita blinks and looks at Michael.

"I'm going to talk to Walter." Nikita says and Michael rolls his eyes.

"And are you just going to ask him if he slept with Madeline?" Michael asks and Nikita presses her lips tightly.

"If the opportunity makes me… YES!" Nikita says as she breaks free and heads out of the office.

*

Walter was throwing supplies into his bag as Nikita stepped towards him. She smiled and looked. Walter still had wet hair and Nikita swallowed. It seemed only to be more evidence of what she thought had happened.

"Hello, Walter. I wanted to thank you again for the party." Nikita says as she steps into his area, wearing a huge smile.

"No problem, sugar." Walter says with a wink as he turns back to his packing.

"So.. Where are you going?" Nikita asks but Walter continues to move. Nikita tilts her head to the side and stares at Walter until she clears her throat loudly.

"Did you say something, sugar?" Walter asks and Nikita blinks her eyes and smiles broadly.

"I asked where are you going?" Nikita asks and Walter nods his head as he pulls something out of his drawer and looks up at Nikita again.

"Oh… Katherine is sick." Walter says and Nikita nods her head.

"So, what about your Jeep in front of my house?" Nikita asks and Walter zips the bag and tilts his head in thought for a moment.

"Well… Birkoff can pick it up. I believe he has to go visit Melissa tonight." Walter says and Nikita nods her head.

"So, didn't it work last night?" Nikita asks slowly as Walter turns on his computer and works on sending some inventories back to Operations.

"Nope. I had a back ache, and Madeline decided it was better to drive than me driving in pain." Walter says and Nikita nods her head and presses her lips together. Walter snaps down the computer and turns towards Nikita.

"Not to cut this short, sugar.. But Katherine is in the hospital." Walter says and Nikita slightly nods her head. She had the two stories of Walter and Madeline, and they did not match.

"Well… I hope Madeline knows that your Jeep is fine. She thought there were something wrong with it." Nikita says slowly and Walter shrugs his head.

"I don't know where she came up with that idea… Now, sugar.. You know about Katherine…" Walter says as he tries to step out of the room. Nikita grabs his arm.

"Is that why you slept with Madeline?" Nikita asks and Walter closes his eyes and looks away from Nikita.

"Please, Nikita, not now." Walter says tensely.

"What did she offer? A tension releaser?" Nikita asks and Walter stares back at Nikita.

"Nikita.. Katherine may be dying. I need to go see her." Walter says and Nikita stares back at Walter.

"And it doesn't matter that you spent the night in Madeline's arms? What about Madeline's feelings?" Nikita asks and Walter swallows and looks at Nikita.

"Madeline is a big girl, Nikita." Walter says and Nikita lets go of Walter.

"I can't believe…" Nikita says shaking her head and Walter stops. He turns and dorps his bags and takes Nikita's shoulders.

"It was a stupid thing to do, Nikita. It was and I regret it with every breath I take right now. But I have to worry about Katherine. It was stupid thing. I know it. Madeline knows it. We both know it. It was stupid. Now please…. Don't tell anyone else." Walter says and Nikita nods her head. Walter knew that if Nikita knew that Michael knew, but that was not what he was concerned with.

Walter kisses Nikita softly and picks up his bags.

"I will call you when I know about Katherine's condition. See if we can get you and Michael up there for dinner, like you promised." Walter choked out and quickly left. Nikita stands there as Madeline enters. Madeline knew from Nikita's eyes that she knew what had occurred between her and Walter.

"It was a moment of stupidity, Nikita." Madeline says and Nikita nods her head and goes back to her office.

Madeline looks around and touches her stomach again. It didn't feel stupid to Madeline.

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