(Assistant to commanding officer)

Birkoff stared at the wall of the hotel room as he tried to grasp onto some sense of the reality of his situation. He felt the warm body next to his, but knew it was not the one that he loved. The walls always looked different, but it always felt the same afterwards. He was no longer doing this for the passion; he was doing this because of the threat.

"Honey, I want more." Lori whispered and Birkoff closed his eyes as her hands touched his hot back. Birkoff looked off to the side, and tried to pull away again. Birkoff swallowed back the contents of his turbulent stomach and looked at the dark haired Lori.

"I don't like this, Lori. In fact, I hate it." Birkoff said and Lori ran a finger down Birkoff's slender chest. Birkoff looked at it as it felt like a knife was pealing his skin away.

"Oh, Seymour….. I think you can do better than that. You wouldn't want your girlfriend to know." Lori whispered and Birkoff turned his head away and licked his lips.

"I don't want her to know, but how long do you expect this to go on? I can't continue sneaking off to a hotel… and you want it more and more!" Birkoff complained and Lori pushed her body up from the bed and smiled.

"Maybe you should buy us an apartment where we can do it whenever we want." Lori said happily and Birkoff frowned and looked at Lori.

"Why haven't we gone to your place? Are you hiding something?" Birkoff questioned and he bit his lip as Lori laughed in his face. Her face turned bright red and then her allowed tears of laughter run down her face.

"I'm not hiding anything, Birkoff." Lori finally spewed out, still trying to recover from the laughter.

"Then there is our answer." Birkoff said, hoping that maybe if he found Lori's place a bit less sleazy he could get through this, until he came up with a better answer.

"You want to come to my place?" Lori innocently asked and Birkoff nodded his head. Lori flung her hair around and looked out over the room.

"My placed does have a better charm too it. And the neighbors aren't too close." Lori said as she pounded on the wall as the noise from the next room. Birkoff swallowed, as he considered to actually persuading going to Lori's place.

"And we could have food to replenish us." Lori continued and Birkoff swallowed as he realized that he was going to have to do more if he did get Lori to take their actions to her house.

"Yes, and you could have a lot more of me, and more interesting places." Birkoff carefully said and Lori smiled and pulled Birkoff down onto her body. She kissed his nose lightly and laughed.

"I can't wait to see what kind of gymnast you are. I think next time we shall go to my house." Lori said and Birkoff happily smiled. Now he could get the images of the dives that he had been spending time with Lori out of his mind, possibly. Birkoff knew it was only a temporary solution, but his problem kept on growing and growing.

"Come on Seymour, show me more." Lori whispered into his ear and Birkoff tried to roll out of bed, only to have Lori clamp her hands over his shoulders and bring him to her body. Lori smiled and looked at him.

"You wouldn't want me to leave marks for your darling Melissa to find, would you?" Lori asked and Birkoff fell into the threat.

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

Lori pulled back her long brown hair from her head and moved into her back room. She smiled as she picked up the phone, ready to make her report.

"Yes, Lori. You have something for me." The woman's voice said on the other end of the telephone and Lori walked into the living room, wanting to gloat in her latest achievement. Lori was enjoying this a bit too much.

"Yes. You should be happy." Lori said as she looked into the mirror and smiled. Birkoff had made her feel so good. She looked out to the window and found Michael leading Nikita out of the car. Lori swallowed and took her attention back to the conversation on the telephone.

"Dear, please tell me." The woman's voice questioned sweetly and Lori smiled.

"Birkoff will be spending sometime at my house now." Lori announced as she pulled a piece of paper out to write on. She knew there would be many things that were going to be ordered of her now.

"That is wonderful. You have a lot to prepare for." The woman's voice said and Lori sat down and crossed her legs. She looked out the window again and noticed Michael hugging Nikita. Lori paused; hoping that Nikita was all right, but also looking at Michael. How Lori wished for a man like that.

"First you must set up multiple cameras. The visuals will provide us with an easier way to blackmail him and to gain access to what we need." The voice said and Lori wrote the word cameras down on the piece of paper.

"And some standards listening devices. He won't expect you to do such a thing." The woman's voice said as Lori tried to keep her eyes off of the happenings outside. She turned her head and found that Michael and Nikita had both made it to the house. Lori started to doodle as she waited for the next instructions.

"I think you should stop by. We have a new device that we want to try. We may be able to gain access to their headquarters sooner with the use of it." The woman's voice said and suddenly Lori was very aware of what she had said. Lori was not looking for speeding this part of her life up. She wanted it to last a long time; she liked Birkoff's company, even if it was because she was blackmailing him. Yet, both were very satisfied with the relationship.

"So soon? Don't you think they might suspect anything?" Lori questioned and she listened to the voice on the other end of the line laugh.

"Don't be silly dear. You are just the other woman." The voice said and Lori blinked her eyes. She wanted to be the only woman.

"Fine." Lori commented as her thoughts drifted back and forth. She wondered how Nikita's pregnancy would hamper the plans of the woman on the other end of the phone. Nikita will probably be home more now than ever before but Lori did not mention it. In fact, she never mentioned Nikita at all.

"How did your surgery go?" Lori asked to the woman and there was another laugh.

"Fine. I am looking different. Wait till you see." The woman said and Lori nodded her head as she pulled up the phonebook. She needed to make a trip to go back and pick up the small pieces of equipment that were going to be acquired of her, and she needed to find a kennel to take Spice too. Lori would have asked Nikita, but Michael did not like her dog one bit.

"What is next for you?" Lori inquired as she started to circle numbers of kennels to try. She looked up to the window and found Michael pulling quickly out. Lori blinked her eyes and turned back to her work.

"I have vocal surgery soon. I have to change my voice." The woman said and Lori nodded her head and stood up. She already knew she was off to see Nikita.

"You better get to work. I expect to see you soon." The woman's voice said and the phone disconnected. Lori looked to her list and folded it. She looked at her dog, Spice, and headed towards the door. It was time for the nosey neighbor to make a visit.

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

Lori looked at the door worried as she knocked at it this time. She looked into the little side window and started to fret. She knew Michael had taken Nikita inside. She waited at the door and frowned.

"Nikita?" Lori called out as she pounded on the door again. Lori felt fear taking over her body, thinking of all the horrible stories of home birth that she had heard, and Nikita wasn't that close to the actual due date. Lori banged on the door again.

"Lori, please." Nikita whispered out as she opened the door. Lori looked at Nikita's dark eyes as Nikita stepped back. Lori looked around and then to Nikita.

"You don't look good." Lori said and Nikita smiled and uncomfortably sat down. Lori sat down and looked at Nikita.

"Where is Michael? Why would he leave you?" Lori asked and Nikita laughed.

"I need a gyro hoagie. I just need one." Nikita said and Lori laughed brightly. It was classic Nikita, and she saw that Nikita didn't look as bad as she first had when she walked in. Nikita smiled and looked at Lori.

"I just was a bit sick earlier this week." Nikita said and Lori nodded her head and rubbed Nikita's hand.

"So, you will be home for a while?" Lori asked and Nikita nodded her head. Lori didn't know if that was good or bad, but she was determined to make it good.

"Well, I will be leaving in a few hours for a trip, but I will be back in the morning. Maybe I can help you buy some things for the baby. Are we down to weeks?" Lori questioned and Nikita rolled her eyes.

"Look, I just started my seventh month. Thinking two months is much easier than eight weeks." Nikita said and Lori laughed. Lori reached out and took Nikita's hand.

"Are you sure everything is fine? You look a bit out of it." Lori admitted and Nikita dropped her head to the side.

"I just had a really bad doctor the other day. A real jerk, if you catch my drift." Nikita said and Lori nodded her head. She hated male doctors.

"Why would you have one of them? You told me that your doctor was a woman." Lori stated and Nikita forced a smile.

"She was delivering a child." Nikita said and Lori nodded her head and looked around. Nikita smiled and squeezed Lori's hand.

"Me and Michael have agreed on a girl's name, Joline." Nikita said and Lori smile. She liked that name a lot.

"What about the boy name?" Lori asked and Nikita laughed.

"We haven't been able to narrow it down at all. We still have eight names in the running." Nikita said and Lori smiled and looked around as Michael opened the door and looked at Lori surprised. Nikita reached out for her hoagie and Michael kissed her forehead.

"So, what are the eight names again?" Lori asked and Nikita laughed as she unwrapped the aluminum foil off of the hoagie and quickly took a bite.

"Evan, Gunnar, Randal, Javier, Xavier, Roy, Coleman, and Rene." Michael said as he pulled out a drink and softly sipped it. Lori smiled and nodded her head.

"I like the name Roy." Lori said and Nikita smiled and looked at Michael.

"See, I told you people would like it!" Nikita said and Michael shook his head.

"Girls like it." Michael said as he turned out of the room and Lori stood up. Lori looked at Nikita and looked towards the door.

"I have to go. I'll talk to you tomorrow." Lori said and quickly left the house. It was what she wanted to have with Birkoff, and knew it would never happen.

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

It was a few days later, that Lori drove Birkoff to her house that first time. She watched as he started to twiddle his thumbs and swallow harshly. Lori looked off to the side and pulled to the side of the street.

"Birkoff, is something wrong? We can go to the hotel." Lori said as she reached out and touched the Mr. Potato Head and Gumby tie that she had bought him and placed around his neck as she led him to her car. Birkoff looked out and to the plan of houses down the road from them.

"Do you live in that next plan?" Birkoff questioned and Lori looked at him and nodded her head. She wondered how Birkoff knew that. She knew he had access to the world's vast intel from the computer that he thought she didn't know about, but she did. He could have found that information out and was trying to get out of their little arrangement by pretending to be nervous.

"Yes. In fact I do. Why, do you know someone who lives there?" Lori playfully questioned and Birkoff nodded his head as Lori pulled back onto the road and quickly drove into the plan of houses. She watched Birkoff grab for the door handle as she turned down the street for her house.

"Birkoff, do you know someone around here?" Lori asked and Birkoff nodded his head and swallowed again.

"Who is this person, Birkoff?" Lori asked and Birkoff almost seemed to duck in the car.

"A friend from work." Birkoff rushed to say. If a friend from work meant what Lori thought it meant, it meant that one of her neighbors were working covertly for the group she was ready to take down in time. She looked across the road and smiled. It had to be Mr. Stevens. He just was odd and rarely at home. It was odd for a man to have such a pretty house and no visitors.

"Oh, you have friends? I thought with two women you would find it hard to work let alone have a social life other than keeping up with our needs." Lori laughed out as she pulled into the driveway and watched Birkoff look over at Nikita's house.

"That's my friend Nikita's house. She is pregnant. So, I guess you can't add her to your service list." Lori said and Birkoff jumped out of the car and ran to the door. Lori smiled and slowly got out of the car and moved to the porch.

"Don't want to be seen?" Lori questioned as she slowly opened the door. Birkoff looked around nervously and Lori couldn't tell where he was hiding from as she opened up the door.

"My friend from work is a friend of MELISSA!" Birkoff cried out as he started to pull the curtains close and Lori smiled. This was going to be very interesting. Maybe now she could finally get rid of Melissa, the other woman in her life with Birkoff. Maybe her boss would allow Lori to keep Birkoff once they take down the bad evil group.

"Well, no one can see my bedroom. That is where we will start." Lori said as she started up the stairs as she heard Michael's Land Rover pull into the driveway not too far behind.

"We can never come here again." Birkoff said and Lori lifted an eyebrow as it all dawned on her. She found it difficult that she didn't figure it out sooner.

Nikita was his friend. Michael and Nikita worked with Birkoff.

Lori was starting to understand things now, and realized not only was Nikita friends with Birkoff's Melissa, she was the half-sister. Lori reached out and started to undo Birkoff clothing and then reached for him. \line \line Lori was torn. She didn't want to expose Nikita, but Nikita was already exposed with her line of work. Yet, Lori saw that one thing was different. She was told that Section One was ruthless, that they never let their operatives have a life. Yet, Nikita was very pregnant and very much with Michael. Lori smiled at Birkoff, deciding to worry later.

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

Nikita walked down the stairs and looked out the door. She started to move her head away when she forced it back to the doorway and outside on the sight she had seen. Nikita tried to swallow and then just stood there in shock.

There was Lori with her hands laced around Birkoff, with her hands down the back of his pants, kissing him deeply. Nikita blinked her eyes as she moved from the door, but then walked back to the door.

Lori had unwrapped her body and Birkoff was dashing into the car and ducking. Nikita shook her head as hot tears ran out of her eyes, knowing that what she saw was going to hurt a lot of people.

"Nikita, what is going on?" Michael questioned as he walked down the stairs to find Nikita staring intently out the door. Nikita moved her head and looked at Michael.

"Oh, nothing. Just watching some cute birds." Nikita said as she reached out for Michael's hand and turned him quickly away from the door. Nikita glanced out the door and saw Lori pulling her car away down the road, and Birkoff still ducking.

"Nikita, what is it? I know you are hiding something!" Michael said as he walked back towards Nikita. Nikita smiled and looked at Michael.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you, I think I found the girl name that I liked." Nikita said and Michael raised an eyebrow. Nikita smiled and leaned up on her tiptoes to kiss that eyebrow.

"Joline." Nikita announced and she watched the broad smile cross Michael's face. It was the name that Michael had favored and Nikita knew the happiness that it brought Michael that she decided it was the name she could see their child having.

"Nikita…" Michael whispered out and Nikita smiled and kissed Michael again. She ran her hands down Michael's arms and looked at him sternly.

"Oh, Michael, be happy, and get me something to eat!" Nikita growled out and Michael smiled. He turned as the name echoed again and again in his head. Michael started to make the breakfast that Nikita was growling for when Nikita turned back to the door and looked outside.

Nikita was in a hard place to be. She now knew why Birkoff wasn't making great leaps and strides back to Melissa's arms. He had found someone else, but Nikita paused and looked out the door.

This must have been the reason why Birkoff had been acting strange of late. Nikita opened the door and looked at Lori's house. She had been wrong about the lady, and Nikita was going to call her on it. She couldn't allow Lori to think she could get away with screwing Birkoff's life up. Lori had known Birkoff, Nikita was sure of it, when she first became a friend with Nikita and Melissa.

Nikita laughed at the thought of friends and Lori in the same sentence. That was no longer the truth. Nikita blinked her eyes and wondered why Birkoff would even take the chance of being at Lori's with Nikita being so close. Nikita rubbed her chin and then stopped.

Nikita knew then, that Birkoff was being blackmailed. Nikita turned from the door and shut it, running the possibilities of how Birkoff got tangled up with Lori. It must have been a low period with Melissa, and he just searched out her company once, but Lori found out too much. Nikita knew that Birkoff had no spine at times, so finding a way to get rid of a blackmailer, without Operations finding out, for Birkoff was impossible.

"Nikita, are you sure you are all right?" Michael questioned as he stepped out of the kitchen and placed the plate with Nikita's omelet on it on the table. Nikita looked at the egg and swallowed.

"I'm sorry, Michael. I can't eat that." Nikita said as she walked down the hallway and into the bathroom. Michael turned down the hallway and knocked at the door as Nikita heaved her stomach up. Michael blinked his eyes and swallowed. Nikita had not been sick in such a long time like that.

"Nikita?" Michael questioned out and he waited. He wanted to know what triggered this off and he sighed as he heard Nikita coughing still.

"I'll be fine, Michael." Nikita whispered out to the door and Michael waited, like Nikita knew he would.

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

Nikita pulled at the black maternity shirt and looked across the lawn to Lori's white house. Nikita frowned as she looked around her house. She needed to do something and it started with this visit to Lori to put things out on the table. Nikita could not pretend to be the young woman's friend with her playing around with Birkoff. Nikita would have to speak with Birkoff later.

Nikita stepped out of the house and swallowed. Michael had been worried about her, as the sight of the omelet, even after the initial purge, caused the cycle to occur again. Yet, Michael was not ready to push Nikita into seeing Elana, especially after her latest emotional trauma. Michael left quietly, saying that there was no missions planned and that he would be back soon.

Nikita started to cross the lawn when Spice ran over to her. Nikita looked at the dog and smiled. It was a cute dog, but the owner was sinister in Nikita's book. Nikita continued to walk, as the dog ran circles around her. Nikita did not stop to pet it, as she normally would have. She continued to walk, with to many things on her mind.

It was Spice's barking that brought Lori to the window and then out to the porch. Nikita tried not to snarl as Lori smiled at her.

"Nikita! You are getting so big!" Lori said as she walked down the stairs and pulled Spice away from Nikita's feet, as Nikita fought the urge to kick the yelping dog. Now Nikita understood why Michael hated the dog so much. She had thought of telling Michael about Birkoff and Lori, but Nikita was sure that Lori would not have lived more than two minutes after Michael formulated a plan to kill her and make it look like an accident. That answer was still in Nikita's mind also.

"We have to talk." Nikita said and Lori smiled and reached for Nikita's hand to guide her up the stairs. Nikita held her hand tightly to her side, knowing that she was quite able to walk up the stairs on her own. Nikita walked up the stairs and into the house as Lori looked around.

"Would you like something to drink?" Lori asked and Nikita shook her head and looked around. Lori moved over to the couch and fluffed some pillows up for Nikita to lean back in. Nikita looked at Lori and it was like watching a child slowly discovering that there was no Santa Claus.

"I'd rather stand." Nikita said tensely and Lori jumped to her feet to look at Nikita. Nikita looked at the woman and shook her head.

"You've lied to me, and to Melissa." Nikita said slowly and Lori swallowed and looked at Nikita.

"I don't know what you are talking about." Lori said slowly and Nikita stepped closer to Lori and looked into her dark eyes. Nikita felt nothing for this person who had pretended to be her friend.

"You are having an affair with Birkoff!" Nikita hissed out and Lori snapped her head back and tried to shake it. Nikita could not take it any longer. Nikita struck out with her hand and backhanded Lori, not too hard, enough to bring her attention back to Nikita.

"Don't lie. I saw you outside today with your hands on his butt! How long has this been going on?" Nikita hissed and Lori shook her head.

"I don't have to tell you." Lori snapped back and Nikita threw her hand forward, this time in a powerful right cross. To Nikita it felt great feeling the bones rattling in Lori's thin head and Nikita hoped to knock some sense into her. To Lori, she was shocked by Nikita's aggression and then hissed at herself in her head, knowing that Nikita was Section One, she was suppose to hurt people.

"I know Birkoff and from his behavior, I know you are blackmailing him." Nikita stated and Lori smiled.

"Of course, Nikita. But there is nothing you can do. He doesn't want to hurt Melissa and I know you don't want to hurt her either." Lori said as she held her nose as it dripped blood.

"Get out of his life, Lori. I am warning you." Nikita said as she punched Lori quickly again, this time with a left uppercut. Lori fell backward and Nikita stalked out of the room and then looked at Spice barking at her feet.

"And keep your damn mutt off of our yard!" Nikita hissed and walked out the door.

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

Nikita was just walking around her house as Michael entered. He looked at her and knew something was wrong. It was different from the wrong that he had left her in, and now this wrong seemed almost worse.

"Nikita…" Michael carefully said, as he did not want to start a fight today. He had terrible news that they have found another mission for Michael and Nikita to go out on the next day, plus Millicent and Logan had just left on a mission. It seemed as if the missions were just doubling the closer Nikita's due date come down. Sooner than not, Michael was finally going to put his foot down in the entire manner, and do what was right for Nikita. He didn't know what hasn't happened to Nikita during this pregnancy.

"Hi, Michael." Nikita said and Michael watched Nikita fold her arms underneath each other and he reached for her. He kissed the back of her neck and felt the tension. He did not know what was going on. Michael reached out for her hands and then he saw the redness.

"Nikita, who did you punch?" Michael questioned as he studied the hands, seeing the stinging redness and the slight swelling in the left.

"A wall." Nikita remarked and Michael tilted his head at the lie to look at Nikita's eyes.

"Lori." Nikita said and Michael stared at her for a few seconds and then started to walk towards the stairs. He was going to take care of Nikita, like she needed to be taken care of and then worry about why she punched Lori. Michael was sure it was a long story that he didn't have the energy to listen to today along with planning the mission.

"Come on, Nikita….. You need a good soak." Michael said and Nikita shook her head as Michael moved into the bathroom and turned the water on.

"Michael… no." Nikita said and Michael looked at her and rubbed her shoulders.

"Nikita…" Michael protested and Nikita looked at the tub and began to cry.

"I can't get myself in and out!" Nikita cried out and dropped her head to Michael's shoulder. Michael continued to run the water and held Nikita.

"That's why you have me." Michael whispered and Nikita cried again.

"I'm too heavy!" Nikita cried out and Michael shook his head. He had another two months of this!

"Nikita, you are fine. Why all of this?" Michael questioned and Nikita shook her head.

"I don't know the whole story, Michael. I can't do anything until I know it all." Nikita said and Michael lifted an eyebrow, almost feeling scared of what happened over at Lori's house.

"Nikita, should I go check on Lori? What did you do to her?" Michael questioned and Nikita grabbed his wrist and shook her head.

"Don't go to her house. She is evil, Michael. I probably just broke a few facial bones. Maybe knocked some sense into her." Nikita said and Michael blinked his eyes. Nikita had always talked fondly about Lori, even when Michael hated the dog.

"Nikita, what happened? And JUST a few facial bones?" Michael questioned as he started to slide Nikita's black shirt off of her shoulders.

"Just leave it, Michael. You can even kick her dog! You can shot it for all I care!" Nikita cried out as she tried to step into the tub and growled in frustration.

Michael rubbed his head and took his attention to giving Nikita a bath.

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

Lori held the ice to her face as she stared at the computer screen. Of course her boss would require a visual on her of all days. Lori dropped the ice as the computer screen flickered on.

"Lori, what happened?" Melrose asked as he leaned forward. Lori frowned as she looked at the red head forty-year old man as he studied her.

"I got mugged." Lori said as she stared into the screen. She was wondering where her boss was.

"They did a good job on you! At first I thought it was the little cyber geek we are working on." Melrose said and Lori tried not to laugh.

"First, I'm working him over, and second, he couldn't hurt a fly." Lori said and she looked at the computer screen and tapped her fingers.

"Where is Allison?" Lori finally asked and Melrose rolled his eyes.

"She decided she needed more plastic surgery. She should be back, they are changing her bandages." Melrose said and Lori rolled her eyes. She stared ahead for a few more minutes, not able to say another word to Melrose. Finally, Allison, the woman that Lori had spoken to all the time, appears on the screen, entire face wrapped in white bandages.

"Are you done yet?" Lori questioned and the woman blinked her eyes.

"Almost. The vocal surgery is still on though." The woman said and Lori blinked her eyes and tried to turn her head away as Allison studied Lori's face.

"Looks like you may need some of your own. You looked fine when you came up to get the equipment." Allison said and Lori swallowed.

"I got mugged at the bus station." Lori said and Allison shook her head.

"You shouldn't have allowed that to happen." Allison said and Lori frowned.

"You said to be like a normal woman. That is what I did." Lori said and Allison nodded her head. Not that she liked her workers to be weak, but it was what they needed Lori to be.

"Have you found out anything else? Has Birkoff been by?" Allison asked and Lori nodded her head and swallowed. This was her chance. She could tell them that Nikita knew that she was sleeping with Birkoff and that Nikita and Michael, her own next door neighbors were Section One. Lori swallowed and looked at Allison.

"Yes, Birkoff has been by, but I don't know anymore of his workers." Lori said and Allison nodded her head.

"You are doing fine work, Lori. We expected this to take longer. You might have your end down before I am done." Allison said and Lori nodded her head and turned it to the side.

"But you don't want this to end?" Allison asked and Lori shook her head no.

"I enjoy my time with Birkoff as he is a surprisingly good lover, but I can't wait to get back to Jackson." Lori said and Allison smiled.

"He is missing you a lot." Allison said and Lori nodded her head and looked out the window as she saw the pizza delivery car pull into Nikita's driveway. Lori turned her attention as Michael paid for the pizza and then walked into the house.

"Maybe you are interested in someone else? A neighbor?" Allison questioned and Lori shook her head.

"He is happily married and waiting for the birth of their first child." Lori said and Allison nodded her head.

"Well, keep it up. I can't wait to see the videotapes. I have always been a fan of your work." Allison laughed out as she disconnected the computer and vanished from Lori's sight.

It was the first time that Lori had ever withheld information from Allison. Lori stopped and looked out the window. She felt that something was being not told to her. Her work was highly classified in Allison's book, and only herself, Allison, and Melrose knew of Section One. Yet, Lori was worried that Allison had Section One pegged wrong. If so, she hoped that her lies helped to protect Nikita's child.

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