There was a sight sob as the slippered feet rubbed against the grated floor. Movement was slow, as the pain pulled from the top of the head to the bottom of the feet. There were no other things important, than watching the feet slowly move forward and then to feel the pain radiating down the entire arm and side. Nothing could stop it, but doing nothing made it worse.

"Almost there." Michael's voice vibrated in the air that was only focused on the shaky breaths in and out and the movement of the pink slippered feet. All other noises meant nothing, and there was no mention of the operatives who walked down the hallway ten times the speed were staring at the sight.

"I can't." Nikita finally moaned out as she felt Michael's arms holding her tighter around the waist. She rolled her head back as the pain gripped her entire body, as the walk was just too far. Michael would not hold her entirely, and he would not allow Nikita to pull her feet up.

"Just a few more steps." Michael whispered from behind Nikita's head. She gasped as she forced her foot ahead, finding the strength from Michael's words and her own need was to sit down. Motivation used to be seeing Mia, or getting some extra time off, now it was just the image of a soft chair.

Michael waited at the door as Nikita reached out with her left arm to the wall, but Michael easily held onto her hips, making the fleeting idea rush out of Nikita's mind as he pressed the code to the small panel next to the door. Nikita gasped as the door opened and she saw the four steps downward.

"No." Nikita sobbed out, not taking note of who was in the office below. All that she saw were four steps, doing downward. She dropped her head and Michael kissed at her left ear.

"I have you, Nikita. I am not going to let you fall." Michael whispered and Nikita inched her foot forward and gasped as she found new pains from the motion of walking down the stairs. Michael looked ahead as Madeline crossed the room quickly with a chair on rollers. Michael then turned his attention back to Nikita's next step down the steps. He could feel Nikita reaching for the chair that stood in front of her and Michael held her back. He needed her to finish all the stairs, and slowly, she did.

Michael could not relax as his arms helped Nikita sit down. Madeline easily placed a pillow behind Nikita's tender shoulder, as Michael felt the feeling in his arms returning. The small walk from the medical room that Nikita had spent two weeks in since she began to respond, to Madeline's office, that held Madeline and Operations, would have normally taken three minutes. Here it took almost fifteen minutes.

"Do you have water, Madeline?" Michael questioned as he pushed the chair towards the desk as Nikita struggled to lift her head. Madeline motioned over to the side with her head. She looked at Operations in pure disgust as Michael retrieved the crystal glass and filled it with some water.

"Here, Nikita." Michael said as he moved the glass underneath Nikita's mouth. Slowly, Nikita wrapped her left hand around it and helped Michael give her a few sips of water. Michael waited and placed the glass down. Movement in her right arm was a long way off, and since Nikita was a right handed woman, motions were difficult for her.

"You are looking good, Nikita." Operations said and all three turned and shot a glance at Operations. There were no lies in between Michael and Nikita. Nikita felt it herself, that this was taking too long. Yet, yesterday there was a break through. They were letting her go home.

"We have to discuss your arrangements for leaving Section One." Madeline said and Nikita lifted her head and looked at Madeline. Nikita smiled and looked at Michael.

"You mean going home." Nikita replied and Madeline dropped her head and Michael moved forward. The motion screamed to Michael that Madeline and Operations had been plotting something.

"You will be going to a house, to recover. But it won't be Michael's. In fact, it is part of a mission." Madeline said and Michael reached his arm out to hold Nikita back. Nikita dropped her head and Michael could feel the tears rolling off of her face and onto his arm.

"She isn't in condition for a mission, Madeline. She can barely stand up for herself." Michael replied and Operations nodded his head and moved over to a miniature projection screen.

"It is not a short term mission. We need you to establish residency at a house nearby Honus Breslove. In time, he will grow found of you and Nikita, and give you access to his house so Nikita can use his pool for therapy." Operations said as he showed Michael and Nikita the house they would be staying at, a picture of Honus Breslove, and his own house.

"What about Mia?" Nikita questioned emotionally out and Michael lifted his head. He wanted to hear the response to this questioned. Madeline looked to Operations and nodded her head.

"I will be watching her. You don't need a kid running around during your recovery." Madeline said and Nikita began to shake her head and then stopped. Michael lifted the glass, and Nikita happily took a sip and then stared at Madeline intensely.

"So, I might not see her for weeks?" Nikita questioned and Madeline blinked her eyes. She had won a difficult battle on this issue with Operations, and she would be glad to deliver the news to Nikita.

"No. You'll see her. The profile has your daughter, staying with your parents, me and Operations, as you recover. We will be visiting almost every other day to see you and so that Mia can see you." Madeline said and Operations turned his head. Michael could see that this was going to be a long mission for all persons involved.

"What about Nikita's therapy? Are you suggesting that we go to an outside physical therapist?" Michael questioned and Madeline looked at Operations again. Similarly, she had won this battle also. She might not have stopped the mission, but Madeline made sure to make it better for Nikita, as much as she could.

"Walter will be posing as Nikita's physical therapist. We will make sure he has the training, and it will give you both someone else to talk too." Madeline said and Michael nodded his head and looked at Nikita.

"Is this ok, Nikita?" Michael questioned and Operations blinked his eyes. He could not believe he heard what Michael had said. Michael asking Nikita if the profile was ok. There were to be no questions on a profile. He ordered the mission to go, and it will, even if Nikita protested against it.

"Yes, if you carry me back to medical." Nikita said and Madeline smiled. There was Nikita's biting sense of humor. Madeline stood up and watched as Michael picked Nikita carefully up in his arms.

"You will leave in the morning. I will have everything ready at the house for you too. Everything." Madeline said as Michael moved to the door. Operations sat still as the door opened and then closed. Madeline turned back and scowled at Operations. He did not need the words to know, as he stood up and left.

Madeline shook her head as she turned towards her empty shelves. She moved to some boxes that she had brought in from her small apartment and opened the box up.

"Welcome home, Michael and Nikita." Madeline thought to herself as she placed the two bonsai trees that had been absent, back on the shelf, ready to grow together again. Madeline could only hope that helping the true Nikita was as easy as tending to the tree.

*

Michael walked back the stairs as he rubbed his face. Madeline blinked her eyes as she saw the shock on Michael's face as he noticed the bonsai trees. He stopped and looked at them before turning to the chair in front of her desk. Michael slowly sat down and glanced over his shoulder and then back to Madeline.

"I thought you stopped with the bonsai trees." Michael started out softly and Madeline pleasantly smiled towards Michael. She could see the strain of helping Nikita, but Madeline could not have stopped Michael from doing so. Madeline was also surprised to find that Operations had not objected, but strange things often occurred when someone spared Operations' his life.

"I never stopped." Madeline said softly and Michael nodded his head as he fixed his gaze on Madeline. Michael folded his hand and the business part of this little meeting had to start.

"First, Michael, I want you to be aware that we came across the true files that Nikita had. Although we are stunned with her talent to manipulate the data, we have demoted her for the lies." Madeline said and she watched as Michael's eyes bulged a little bit before being mentally pulled back to a normal size.

"To what level?" Michael questioned softly and Madeline looked to her hands and internally smiled. She knew that Michael was expecting the worst.

"To Level Five." Madeline replied and she watched the small muscles in Michael's face and neck relaxed significantly. Madeline turned her head to the side and pulled the little card out for Michael.

"What is that?" Michael asked as Madeline pushed it in front of him. Madeline waited for Michael to look down at the card and read the name and the number. Madeline pushed it closer to Michael.

"Pick it up, you will be needing it." Madeline said and Michael slowly fingered the tan card before lifted it to his palm. Madeline watched Michael's gray-green eyes look over the name and number again.

"Why?" Michael questioned and Madeline pulled out a little panel and pressed the lighted numbers softly. Michael shifted in his seat, almost uncomfortable by Madeline's gesture.

"Michael, you do not need to hide that Nikita was and will be having problems in, ah, intimate situations." Madeline said softly and Michael closed his eyes and turned his head.

"Madeline...." Michael started to protest and Madeline touched Michael's hand to stop his words. Madeline looked to Michael's hand and then to his face.

"I don't want to go into the details, and I don't want to think about what we in Section One has done to Nikita. That is a number for a good therapist who specializes in situations like Nikita's." Madeline said and Michael shook his head.

"Nikita just needs an open and honest relationship with me, Madeline. Plus, she is very much injured." Michael said and Madeline nodded her head.

"Yes, but as we said. This mission will be a long-term mission. It is likely that Honus Breslove would notice if there lacks things between you and Nikita." Madeline said and Michael blinked his eyes. He looked to the card and shook his head.

"Nikita won't go to a therapist, Madeline. She wasn't even going to tell me..." Michael said and trailed off as he started to feel his own guilt.

"She wasn't going to tell you until you believed that she had done those things to get ahead. If Nikita had her way, she would have never told you." Madeline stated and Michael dropped his head and pressed his dry lips against each other.

"This must also be difficult on you, Michael." Madeline slowly stated as she saw the opening for another issue that had been chewing at her mind for several days.

"How?" Michael challenged Madeline quickly and Madeline smiled.

"The woman you love right now is afraid of any other touch than support and warmth." Madeline said and Michael lifted his eyes and Madeline gasped within herself. There had been times when Michael had been open with his emotions before, and even when Nikita was on the thread of life and death and he stayed by her side, they weren't expressed as now. Now it was in Michael's eyes.

"I am willing to wait." Michael replied firmly and Madeline nodded her head. She no longer had doubts about the outcome of this mission. Madeline stood up and walked over to the bonsai trees. Her mind was racing for the next words, as Michael's statement, although true to blunt Michael character, had stunned her.

"That may be true, Michael, but it will be a test of character. Even with the help of this expert, we may not be able to bring back the Nikita that you had loved." Madeline said as she reached her hand out and touched the small branches of the bonsai trees that had mended beautifully.

Michael stood up and turned to look at Madeline. Her back was tense and rigid and Michael looked to the floor slightly. He pressed his hands together about waist high and moved towards the stand to be near Madeline.

"I love Nikita. It doesn't matter which one I have, they are all the same." Michael replied and he circled around to Madeline's other side. He tilted his head and strained to look at the bonsai trees and smiled.

"Like these trees. They are the same ones that Nikita broke years ago. They aren't the same, but you still tend to them as if they were." Michael said in a soft whisper as Michael slide the card into his pocket.

"I will call her." Michael replied as he moved towards the stairs and slowly exited the room. Madeline waited until she heard the door slide shut. Madeline started to wonder who was teaching whom.

*

"Michael, please." Nikita moaned out as she looked up to her good shoulder and to Michael. The sunlight danced in his hair, and had Nikita been in a lot less pain, she would have noticed how beautiful it made Michael, almost like an image of an angel. Michael looked at Nikita and kissed her forehead.

Michael held onto Nikita's body tightly, and looked up at the porch. There was a chair off to the left-hand side, but it would be eight stairs to climb before Nikita could sit down in that chair. He knew the trials of this day, walking from medical to the van, then from the van to the car, and now from the car to the porch, drained Nikita quickly.

"Madeline, please bring that chair down here. She needs a rest." Michael said as he looked to the side at Madeline, who had a large hat on her head and holding Mia's hand in hers. Michael turned his head back to Nikita, as she continued to fight to continue on. Michael held her and sighed, wondering out long it was going to be until he couldn't see the pain so easily on Nikita's face. He wondered how many days or weeks it was going to be until Nikita had the strength to go to the bathroom herself.

"Michael... how many times do I have to tell you to call me Mom." Madeline said with a smile as she allowed Operations to pick Mia up in his arms. Operations carefully smiled at Mia and Madeline stepped up the stairs. Michael could tell that Madeline was wishing Nikita would walk up to the porch, and was disappointed. Michael, though, was putting his foot down. Michael held Nikita still as her body began to tremble with weakness as Madeline hurried down the stairs with the chair.

Madeline placed it right behind Nikita, and Michael sat Nikita carefully down. Nikita's eyes were closed and Michael could tell that Nikita was not comfortable in that chair, yet, he needed a break, and so did Nikita. Michael stepped back for a moment and smiled at Madeline.

"Thank-you, Mom." Michael said and he rolled his head back. It was during those few seconds, that Mia wiggled away from Operation's grasp and jumped quickly up to Nikita's lap.

"MIA!" Michael and Madeline screamed as Nikita gasped out a silent scream and slowly smiled at Mia.

"Mia... I know you miss me... but you have to be careful." Nikita said with a smile to Mia and then Nikita groaned as Mia wrapped her arms around her mother's neck in a big hug. Michael watched Nikita, knowing that Nikita would bear all the pain associated with the hug. Michael stepped up and touched Mia's hand.

"Mia, we have talked about this." Michael said as Mia dropped her grasp from her mother and looked at Michael. Mia dropped her head and Michael could see the sadness in his daughter's face.

"Come on, Mia. There is a swing set in the backyard." Operations said as he extended his hand. Michael turned his shock of the pleasantness on Operations' voice as he took Mia around the side of the house. Michael turned back to Nikita and knelt down to her side. Nikita leaned her head back and closed her eyes to the sun. It had been sometime since she had been in the sun like this.

"Are you ok?" Michael asked and Nikita nodded her head. All of them knew they were being watched. It was part of the plan to have a public entrance like this, but Nikita knew she was supposed to make it to the porch.

"The sun feels good." Nikita commented and Madeline pulled the hat off and nodded her head. She reached down and patted Nikita's own hair.

"The sun will bring back the color to my daughter's cheeks." Madeline said with a brilliant smile and Nikita turned her head away. Michael stood up and looked around the area. He could tell that Nikita was leaning back on her injured shoulder more than she wanted to be, and Michael did not want Nikita to have more pain.

"Mom.. I still say you should allow Mia to stay with us. She is such a handful." Nikita said and Madeline smiled at Nikita and nudged her cheek. Madeline heard the laughter in the backyard and smiled again.

"Nikita, I am your mother. The doctors said you needed your rest." Madeline said and Michael moved up the stairs. He felt the words being muttered in his head. The doctors had told Nikita to rest, but it was Madeline and Operations who conveniently fit Nikita's injury into a mission.

"Michael!" Nikita moaned out and Madeline bent down to look at Nikita. Michael ran down the stairs and touched Nikita's left arm. Nikita lifted her head with tears rolling down her face. Michael did not want to admit it, but he had felt Nikita's entire body jump with his sudden touch.

Michael looked into Nikita's eyes and knew exactly what caused her to gasp.

"Darling, what is it?" Madeline questioned and Michael turned to Madeline and handed her the keys. Madeline lifted her head as Michael reached down and pulled Nikita gently up into his arms.

"Madeline... Mom... some things are just better when handled by me." Michael said and Madeline moved towards the door. She pushed the door open and watched as Michael moved quickly to the room down the hallway and dropped her head. Nikita's sudden voice of fear was that which indicated to Michael that she needed to go to the bathroom.

Madeline walked down the stairs and sat down at Mia ran around and looked to the open door.

"Is that my new house?" Mia questioned and Madeline shook her head.

"You will be staying with us for some time, Mia. Your mother needs to get strong again." Madeline said and Mia nodded her head as she sat on Madeline's lap.

"Do you know the sunshine song?" Mia asked and Madeline looked to Operations and wriggled her nose. Operations smiled and tapped Mia's shoulder.

"I know.... You are my sunshine... my only sunshine...." Operations sang out and Mia smiled broadly.

"You make me happy.. When clouds are gray... You never know dear.... How much I love you... so please don't take my sunshine away....." Mia and Operations sang together. Mia giggled as Operations tickled her stomach but quickly, Mia pulled away as Michael stepped back out onto the porch.

"Nikita is sleeping." Michael reported and Mia dropped her head and then turned to Operations.

"That's my mommy's favorite song!" Mia announced and Madeline looked to Michael. There were a lot of things that could be interpreted if the sunshine song was Nikita's favorite song, and Madeline knew who constituted Nikita's sunshine. Michael moved down and scooped Mia up into his arms.

"I want you to be good for your grandparents, understand?" Michael said and Mia nodded her head, even as she wrinkled her eyebrows up in confusion. She had never heard that word used before. Michael handed Mia over to Operations, and in doing so, made it impossible for the two men to end this day with any pleasantries that would be expected between a father-in-law and a son-in-law. Operations turned and started to walk down to the car.

"I want you to call if you need anything." Madeline said as she pressed another card to Michael's chest. He knew that Madeline was giving him the number to the therapist again and Michael smiled.

"I will, Mom." Michael said as he hugged Madeline and she put her hat back on her head. Madeline turned and walked back to the car. Michael stood on the porch and watched the car pull away before going back to monitor Nikita's slumber.

*

It had taken two weeks before Michael could leave Nikita in the house, and oddly, he did as Madeline suggested. His first venture out, occurred while Walter gave Nikita her therapy, and he headed to the office, that he had carefully called.

Michael sat in the office, looking around at the decoration, drawing similarities to Madeline's own office. This office was painted in a warm peach and the furniture was a warm oak. Michael looked around to find beautiful paintings of the seashore around, although they were miles away from any body of water.

Those moments, as Michael waited in that office, were probably the worst. He had Nikita's trust, and he worried about what Nikita would do if she ever found out about this. The one thing Michael had been able to use with Nikita recently, was the fact that she trusted him, and that fact amazed Michael.

"Hello." The older woman, with black hair with some strands of gray said as she opened the door and walked in. This was not what Michael had seen in his mind. Michael shifted in the chair as he studied the therapist again, seeing her eyes looked like coal and that her body was pleasantly plump. Michael was shocked to look at her smile to find that it was genuine, that the woman was actually happy.

"Hello." Michael said and the woman sat down in the chair across from Michael. She looked down at the chart that had been started and lifted her head slowly up at Michael. If she had not looked at the chart, and just looked at Michael, she would have be already curious about what he was doing here. He was not the typical male patient that she saw. Most of the male patients were older, balding, and going through mid-life crisises. Michael appeared to be the exact opposite. Yet, she had looked at the file, and was going to have to make a comment about this.

"I'm not very formal around here. You can call me Leanor or Dr. Westfall." Leanor said softly and Michael looked at her and blankly locked with her eyes.

"Dr. Westfall." Michael replied and Leanor smiled, trying to hide the fact that Michael's tone had made a chill run down her back quicker that any other time in her life. She tilted her head to the side and flipped the file around.

"Care to explain why you haven't filled out this form, Michael. I may call you that, correct?" Leanor said and she was stunned to watch the blank face continue to stare back at her. Slowly, she started to recalculate her original feelings on why Michael was there. That blank stare was sure to keep any woman away from him.

"Yes, you may call me Michael." Michael replied as he folded his hands and waited. Michael stared at her, still trying to find out if he could trust her with the care of Nikita's mental well being. He almost felt good about her and he waited.

"Well? I can't help you if I don't know anything at all about you." Leanor said and Michael finally softly smiled. Leanor immediately warmed up, finding the charming smile almost intoxicating. She focused back at Michael and the smile. She thought there was more behind that smile than she wanted to know. It may have been from years of experience, but suddenly, Leanor felt not so happy with this new patient.

"You aren't going to help me. You are going to help my wife." Michael replied quickly and stoically. Leanor smiled and leaned forward.

"Michael, I can only help you." Leanor said and Michael leaned in with his own gray-green eyes and stared into Leanor's eyes.

"When I say, you are going to help my wife, I mean it." Michael replied sharply and Leanor leaned back and looked down to the chart as the chill returned to her body, and would not stop its mad dash up and down her spine.

"Well, that answers question number one, are you married? Does she have a name?" Leanor asked and Michael smiled. Again, the smile revealed a lot to Michael that Leanor was sure he wasn't aware of.

"Nikita." Michael replied with a soft tone that sounded like sadness. Michael turned his head and then focused back on Leanor.

"You have to believe me, Dr. Westfall. I am here for my wife, because she can't be here." Michael said and Leanor nodded her head. She had seen men and women come in her before because the spouse was hurting, and each time, she sadly couldn't do anything for them.

"Michael, I cannot treat a patient that I cannot see. You may not know her real problems." Leanor said and Michael shook his head.

"Nikita is not in denial. She is physical unable to leave the house. This is the only way I can help her. You, have to help her." Michael passionately pleaded out and Leanor leaned back in her chair. She licked her lips and dropped the chart down to her desk. She was no longer interested in the mandatory questions. Michael's words almost shot a direct line to her soul.

"Maybe I can work out an arrangement for treatment at your house...." Leanor said and before the statement was over, she could see the negative response on the other side of Michael's lips.

"She had major trust issues. She trusts me, and it has been hard for her to work with a male physical therapist. Bringing anyone else into the house will not help her. You have to tell me what to do." Michael said and Leanor leaned back in her chair. She swallowed. Rarely was she placed in a spot like this. She picked up the chart and scratched out Michael's name.

"I have to think about this, Michael." Leanor responded and Michael nodded his head as he shifted in the seat.

"I expected so Dr. Westfall." Michael replied and Leanor looked down at the file. She did not want to turn this man away; it was like she knew she had to help this Michael and his wife Nikita.

"And if I do agree, I cannot guarantee anything until I can personally treat Nikita." Leanor said and Michael nodded his head as if he expected that answer. Leanor looked at the file and pulled her own curious mind away from Michael. She wanted to ask so many questions, as Michael was knowledgeable with her field, and she would be interested to know how much exposure he had with therapists and what kind. She was also curious about the injuries that currently held Michael's wife, Nikita, in her house. She wondered how long they had been together and how long Nikita had been injured. Leanor stopped her mind again from racing off with the questions.

"Michael, why don't you come back next week. I will have made up my mind then." Leanor said and Michael stood up and she appreciated the height and make of his body. Leanor again had to pull her own questions of what Nikita looked like and what she would look like next to this rugged man, at bay. Leanor stood up and looked to Michael.

"This might sound unusual, but it might be helpful if you bring a picture of Nikita with you." Leanor said, giving into her own thirst for knowledge.

"A current one or from before her injury?" Michael instantly questioned, without for a moment wondering about Leanor's strange request. It was in that moment that Leanor knew that she would try to help this man. His need to help his wife was stronger than she had seen in years.

"One of each." Leanor replied and Michael turned and left the office quickly. Leanor blinked her eyes and looked to the file. The questions would just have to wait till another time. Leanor moved over, picked up the pen and wrote softly, Michael and Nikita. Then she stopped. She had yet to get a last name for them.

*

Michael carefully pushed the door open to the house and pocketed the keys as he looked about the downstairs. Michael swallowed as he saw the motorcycle helmet on the end table, and knew that Walter was still inside the house, hopefully with Nikita.

Michael looked through the various items of junk mail that Madeline had arranged to be delivered to the house so it looked like they were a normal couple. Michael shook his head at some of the miscellaneous catalogues that were sent, including a Frederick's of Hollywood, a Green Thumb Catalogue of Bulbs, and Jane. Michael dropped the magazines down to the table and started up the stairs. Halfway up, Michael was able to locate where Walter and Nikita were.

"Come on, sugar. Just a little bit more." Walter said softly as his hand tried to help Nikita raise her arm a bit more. Nikita dropped her head to the pillow and softly sobbed in pain. Walter wanted to stop, but the medical doctors had gone over his notes and accused him of not pushing Nikita. Walter hated the policy of pushing operatives quickly.

"I can't, Walter!" Nikita hissed as she started to drop the arm back down. Walter moved his hand away and allowed Nikita to drop the arm down. Walter waited and rubbed the good shoulder. He frowned at her entire body jumping at the contact, wishing he could do something about that instead of all this physical therapy jargon he was going through with Nikita.

Nikita pushed her body up with her good arm so she was sitting. She turned and saw Michael standing in the doorway of the guestroom. Nikita liked the room because it was dark most of the time, no matter what time of day. Nikita took Walter's hand and smiled softly.

"I owe you some more. Can I do the shoulders rolls?" Nikita bargained and Walter smiled and nudged her cheek softly. He was just going to let it be, especially now that Michael was back.

"You don't have to, sugar." Walter said and Nikita tilted her head to the left side and looked into the older man's eyes. Nikita slowly pushed her right shoulder forward and started to roll it up and back.

"I know Section, Walter. I am too slow." Nikita commented as she turned her head away from the shoulder that was moving. Walter stood up and moved towards the doorway.

"I'm going to get something to drink, sugar. You finish one set and take a nap. You look tired." Walter said and Nikita smiled and nodded her head. Michael waited for Walter to brush past into the hallway to give his own look to Nikita, saying that she should follow Walter's instructions, before turning to walk with Walter.

The two men were silent as they walked down the stairs and headed into the kitchen. Walter took a sip of water and adjusted his bandana.

"She seemed tight today. Not like yesterday. I'm going to get an ear beating when I get back. Think I can crash here?" Walter said tensely and then jokingly. Michael winced and dropped his glass of water back down onto the counter top.

"I can explain that." Michael said and Walter turned and squinted at the younger man. Instantly, Walter knew there was an interesting story behind this. He could tell that by the way Michael immediately moved away.

"What happened, Michael?" Walter demanded with a little smirk. Michael turned as he stood in the middle of the kitchen and looked to Walter.

"Well, I guess Nikita was feeling a lot better, and she tried to make a bathroom run for herself last night. I didn't know until I heard the crash." Michael said and Walter closed his eyes. No more words were needed to tell Walter what happened.

"She did make progress, but how did my sugar get that into her head?" Walter questioned and Michael blinked his eyes and moved closer to Walter. Walter smiled and turned away, knowing that Nikita must have told Michael the entire conversation that they had yesterday.

"Look, Michael... we know Nikita.... She is independent as hell!" Walter started in his rush to defend his words from yesterday. Michael turned around and stared at the older man, knowing that Michael did place some blame onto him for Nikita's mid-night run for the bathroom.

"Yes, she is. But she didn't think, Walter." Michael replied sharply and Walter took a long deep breath. Walter didn't like it when Michael spoke this way about Nikita.

"Yes, she did. She is embarrassed like never before, because she has needed you to take her to the bathroom like a little child. She needed to show that she can start doing some things herself, and that she would ask for you when she needs you." Walter angrily said and Michael pushed his hair back and looked at Walter.

"But you saw the results of what happened. She feel into the bath tub, Walter, and couldn't pull herself out of it." Michael said and Walter nodded his head and looked away from Michael.

"Now I know why her range of motion decreased. Now, how do you suggest I note that in my progress notes, Michael?" Walter joked and Michael turned around with a half smile on his face. Walter laughed broadly, as it was good to see more than the blank stare from Michael for the first time in over two weeks.

"Michael..." Nikita gasped out as her left hand grabbed a hold of the doorway. Michael quickly made the one hundred and eighty-degree turn to see a weak Nikita, trying to steady her body.

"We told you to take a nap." Michael said as he rushed to Nikita's side and grasped her waist. Nikita looked up with a feeble smile.

"I needed to know what you two were saying about me..." Nikita softly said as her eyes started to flutter. Michael picked Nikita expertly into his arms and began to move towards the living room couch with Nikita's body.

"We were saying that you are stubborn like a mule..... Strong as an ox.... Mean as a goat who hasn't had anything to eat since he found Operations' boxers a week ago....." Walter joked as Michael placed Nikita down on the couch. Michael stood up and took Walter by the shoulders.

"You can stop. She is asleep." Michael said and Walter nodded his head. Walter stepped around Michael and tenderly stroke her cheek.

"Madeline was going to stop by..." Walter whispered and Michael closed his eyes. He missed his daughter, but this day had been long and hard for both Michael and Nikita.

"Please tell her that we are both tired." Michael said and Walter nodded his head as he picked up the motorcycle helmet and headed for the door. Michael waited until Walter roared away on his loud and noisy Harley before he shut the door.

Michael admired the way Walter handled Nikita. Michael was sure that it had been too many days of conflicting emotions on Walter too. Michael had seen it when Walter started the therapy with Nikita. Most of the first few days were getting Nikita to allow Walter's touch without pulling away in tears. Michael was sure that those tears weren't caused by physical pain, but most likely the emotional pain. Michael knew Walter would be lenient on Nikita, and that soon, both would get use to the arrangement. Michael could only hope that others inside Section One realized the time that was needed for all of this to work.

*

Michael sat in the office, staring at the artwork again. Michael's thoughts were on how Nikita would like them. It had been a difficult week to say the least, as the pressures and the demands of the mission seemed to be more personal than anything at all. Michael also had trouble seeing Mia calling Madeline and Operations. He didn't want to be the one to explain to her that they weren't.

"Good morning, Michael." Leanor said as she opened the door and walked in. She held the chart in her hand and she softly placed it down on the warm oak desk. Michael nodded his head and Leanor slowly studied the features of Michael. There was more stress shown on his face than before and Leanor looked down at her desk to find the items that she had requested at the first meeting.

"I guess you figured that I decided to try this out on a trial basis." Leanor said and Michael nodded his head as he waited for Leanor to pick the pictures up. He saw Leanor look at the features of Nikita's body and then to the picture of Nikita's current state. Michael had to argue with Nikita for the picture, and in the end, he threatened to find a surveillance picture.

"She is very beautiful, Michael." Leanor said as she placed the pictures down and focused on Michael. Michael blinked his eyes, shocked that Leanor did not press for more information on Nikita's injury. Yet, Leanor waited, knowing that Michael could not hold back that information from her.

"You don't want to know what occurred?" Michael asked formally and Leanor looked to the chart and then to Michael. She folded her hands and dropped the pen out of her hand.

"If it would make you feel more comfortable, by all means, tell me, Michael." Leanor said as she leaned back in her chair. The gesture told Michael to proceed, as it always had meant. Michael swallowed as he summoned up the strength to hold the cover story well enough to be believed by a woman's who job it was to notice lies.

"We were walking in a park and didn't know of an on-going gang war. Nikita never liked seeing children getting hurt and she was shot while trying to protect a three year old who got stuck in a swing." Michael said quickly and then turned his head away from Leanor. Leanor smiled and nodded her head. She looked at Michael's avoidant eyes and questioned the words, but she knew one thing. Nikita had been shot, and for Leanor, that was all that was important for now.

"Well, that wasn't so difficult. We'll start with the difficult questions now." Leanor said as she picked the pen up with her long fingers. The words brought Michael's cold stare back to her face and she looked down to the list.

"When was the last time you and your wife had sexual relations?" Leanor asked bluntly and Michael began to shift in his seat. Leanor was sure that for Michael it felt as if the room's heat had been turned on full blast, and she realized that none of this could be fun for Michael.

Michael looked to his hands as he knew the truth was best suited in order to help Nikita, but Michael also knew what the truth might do to poor Leanor, who had no idea who was sitting across from her. Michael started to work out the way to explain how quickly in his mind when he caught Leanor's waiting eyes.

"Dr. Westfall, It has been over seven years." Michael replied and Leanor could not stop her head from dropping forward. She blinked her eyes and swallowed at the information.

"Seven years?" Leanor asked and Michael sadly nodded his head as he turned his head off to look at the painting again. Even Michael was shocked with the length, because during those seven years he had thought of Nikita so often, that it most often didn't feel that long.

"So you have been separated a while?" Leanor asked and Michael looked to his hands and saw the dirt underneath his fingernails. He remembered that yesterday Nikita said she wished there were some rose bushes around the house, and how quickly he went to buy them so to give Nikita what she wanted.

"Yes, but not by our choice. It was caused by work conditions." Michael replied and Leanor blinked her eyes, finding it hard that any job would cause a hardship that major between a couple that appeared to be the perfect match in Leanor's eyes.

"So you have no children." Leanor stated as she picked up the pen and drew a line through the child line. She heard the tapping of Michael's fingers together and she tilted her dark black hair to the side, and the gray strands twinkled in the light.

"We have a daughter. She is six." Michael replied and Leanor smiled as she scribbled over the line the mention of a daughter and that was when she noticed the smile on Michael's face. It was somewhere she could ask more questions right now, while she had an opening, and Leanor learned years ago, that openings like these were rare to say the least.

"So, the last time you and your wife..."

"Please call her Nikita, Dr. Westfall." Michael interrupted, as if the word, wife was painful to his ears. Leanor nodded her head and forced a pleasant smile onto her face.

"So, the last time you were with Nikita, you two conceived your daughter." Leanor stated.

"Mia." Michael supplied and Leanor chuckled internally at her situation. It was clear that Michael did not give more than what needed to be given. His words were sparse, and under his tight control. Leanor was not sure if she could get past that, as it seemed to be an engrain part of Michael's core character.

"And yes, it was." Michael finished answer the questioned after some awkward silence. Leanor dropped the pen again in order to push her body forward towards the desk. She looked into Michael's gray-green eyes and felt as if he was hiding more than she ever wanted to know.

"Michael, I do need you to open up, for Nikita's sake." Leanor said and he sighed loudly. Leanor hoped that saying that it was for Nikita's good, the one thing that seemed to be running all of Michael's actions, would allow him to open up to Leanor.

"I didn't know, and it was a shock when I met her when she was four." Michael said and Leanor used her hands to push back her hair. She could not believe anything that Michael was now saying. It sounded real to her, but her mind was screaming that it was not possible. Leanor could not image Michael not knowing about his own daughter and not contacting Nikita for four years.

"Michael, do you know what Nikita's problems are and when they likely started?" Leanor said as she felt the tension in her head building. She felt the need to prepare some soft tea and to draw a hot bubble bath. Leanor all ready knew that she would cancel all of her appointments after Michael, as he drained all the energy from her that quickly.

"She was raped." Michael stated as if he was emotionally unattached to the events. Leanor uncomfortably shifted her weight in the chair, as she tried to avoid cases where this was present. She had been dealing with couples who had satisfaction problems, or lack of communication when in the bedroom. Now she had a couple that compound issues in the bedroom, and probably in general everyday life, and Leanor wanted to run away.

"Dr. Westfall..." Michael said softly and Leanor shook her head back and smiled at Michael. Michael nodded his head, as she did not need to express one word in order to show Michael that she was sorry for her drifting mind.

"I was saying I cannot go into the details of that problem, but it was many years ago, and I guess when work forced her away from me, that it ballooned." Michael said as he nervously shifted his hands against each other. Leanor studied that behavior, as it seemed like it was something that Michael was not use to doing. She was sure that Michael was more of a man who wanted to do immediate action, and to come to therapy had been braved for him.

"During these extended periods of work, did you have other partners?" Leanor asked and Michael paused in thought. He had completed some Valentine missions, but they weren't partners, they were targets. Michael started to shake his head and then finally brought the strength to his voice.

"No." Michael stated almost coldly and he looked at Leanor's coal eyes.

"And Nikita didn't either." Michael anticipated Leanor's next question and responded, as she was ready to allow the words to flow off of her mouth. Michael waited and shifted in the chair, as his mind wondered how Nikita was doing with Walter this morning.

"Are you sure, Michael?" Leanor questioned and blinked as Michael's massive body clamored up to tower over her. She could see the anger on Michael's face, but she was trying to identify why it was there. She was sure that it was not just for her question.

"Yes, I am sure. I know Nikita, and she has been honest with me." Michael stated firmly as he began to pace the room. It was not the full truth, but it was enough. Michael had been the last man that Nikita had willingly chose herself, and the last sexual relationship had been demented and torturing to Nikita's own body almost two and a half years ago.

Leanor continued to study Michael's behavior as she knew the signs were screaming of his denial, or at least that he was lying. Leanor needed to think of reasons why Michael would lie about the relationship that he had with Nikita, because it was evident that he loved and wanted to help Nikita.

"I think we are going to need more than one session a week." Leanor said as she stood up and Michael dropped his head. She saw Michael's motion as if he was defeated, as if he lost something for him, that he was disappointed in himself for being more complicated than he wanted to be.

"What do I do in the mean time?" Michael questioned and Leanor smiled.

"Support her. I think her injuries are holding back some contact." Leanor said and Michael nodded his head. Michael turned and left the office as Leanor reached into her drawer. She pulled out the medication for the migraines and fell down to her chair. If it wasn't for her heart telling her that Nikita, a woman that she only had a picture of, needed help, Leanor would have referred this case elsewhere, but now, it was going to be a priority for Leanor.

*

There was a nice breeze in the air and the laughter floated to the front door. Michael dropped the keys on the end table and immediately rushed his step to the back door.

"DAD!" Mia exclaimed as she tossed the bright red water balloon at Operations and ran towards Michael with her arms extended. Michael watched as the balloon exploded on the ground in front of Operations, showering him with water, as Mia leaped up for Michael's arms. Michael hugged her tightly and then sat her back down on the patio.

Michael looked off to the left and saw Nikita carefully sitting on a lounge chair, with an extra pillow behind her back, and Madeline was pushing papers back and forth to Nikita. Michael knew it was Section One materials that had been cleverly disguised and Michael bent down. Michael could feel Madeline staring at him as he brushed his hand through Nikita's hair softly and then placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.

"Dad, come play with me and Pappa!" Mia exclaimed and Michael looked directly at Madeline. She smiled and handed another sheet of paper to Nikita. The word, Pappa, echoed in Michael's mind as it signified the manipulation of his own daughter. It did not matter until he heard it himself. Nikita had heard the word several days ago, and started to fret about it.

"What are in those balloons?" Michael questioned and Mia giggled as she picked up a fat yellow balloon and raised it up for her father to look at.

"Water!" Mia exclaimed as she chucked the balloon at Michael's feet. Michael felt the water splash all over the bottom of his pants and he smiled at Mia.

"Now, my darling, you are going to get it." Michael said as he picked up a balloon. Mia looked up with a smile of delight on her face and began to run.

"Pappa, help me....." Mia cried out and Nikita started to sit up from her chair. She knew that they needed Honus Breslove to take notice of their odd family status, but this was tearing her apart enough. She pushed her good arm up and through her hair and looked to Michael.

"Michael..." Nikita called out softly and Michael continued to run. Nikita dropped her head and pushed her feet down to the ground.

"Darling, do you need some help?" Madeline asked as she looked at Nikita's movements. Nikita turned her head slightly, but gave no hint if she had heard Madeline's question as she pointedly, used her injured right arm to pull the door open. Madeline looked and waited as Nikita moved to the kitchen.

"No hose!" Operations commanded as Michael unraveled the hose and handed it to Mia. Michael smiled at Mia as she chased after Operations, and Michael happily turned on the water for Mia. The water sprayed out over Operations, drenching his entire body and Michael turned to the porch to see Nikita laughing. He was disappointed to find it empty of Nikita's body and he moved to the porch.

"She went inside. She is moving quite well." Madeline said and Michael looked at Madeline and paused. Michael swallowed and focused his attention on Madeline's eyes.

"Mom, she isn't doing as well as she appears." Michael commented and Madeline nodded her head. She had a feeling that the therapy had just started for Michael, and that maybe he was feeling more hopeless now than he did before.

"I should go check on her." Michael said and Madeline stood up and smiled at Michael. She pushed her pile of papers together and moved to the door.

"My, Michael. You are all wet. You can't go in the house like that!" Madeline said as she opened the door for herself and walked in, making the signal definitely that she would see what was occurring. Michael moved away from the door and then charged back towards Mia, who had lost the hose to Operations.

Madeline walked into the kitchen and found Nikita slowly raising a glass of water to her lips with her injured arm. Madeline had seen very little movement from Nikita's injured arm in all the times they had visited and now Madeline wanted to know why the sudden break through.

"Nikita, is everything all right?" Madeline questioned as Nikita set the glass back down on the countertop. Madeline got no response and she moved closer to Nikita, when she noticed Nikita's gaze, as it stared out the window. Madeline stepped next to Nikita and saw what she was viewing.

Michael was squirting down the yellow slide for Mia, and she was sliding down it. At the bottom, Operations would swing her around and tickle her for a few moments, before she would run back to the ladder to get to the slide again. There was constant giggling and Madeline turned her head towards Nikita.

"Would it helped if I told you how much he is hurting every night?" Madeline softly asked and Nikita slowly shook her head from side to side, indicating no, without moving her gaze from the scene outside. Madeline could only hope that Honus Breslove was as attentive as Nikita was. Madeline licked her lips and knew that more than one problem controlled Nikita's body at a given time.

"Well, he is. And I am probably never going to hear the end of the complaining." Madeline said and Nikita turned her head to look at Madeline. Madeline could see the endless list of questions in Nikita's eyes and waited for Nikita to choose just one to ask.

"Have you explained to Mia what a grandparent is?" Nikita vocalized and Madeline shook her head softly. Madeline did not want to admit it to Nikita now, or ever, but she had been enjoying this mission a bit more than she thought she would. Mia was a wonderful girl, and every action seemed to be a perfect blend of Michael and Nikita. Plus, she was seeing that Operations could be pushed to see Michael's and Nikita's side with the right motivation.

"No. She hasn't asked." Madeline said and Nikita nodded her head and moved away from the window as Mia pulled at the hose and squirted Michael in the face with the stream of water. Nikita seemed to be slowly pacing and with that motion, Madeline placed a hand on her good shoulder.

"I want to bring a video to you of Mia with Operations. I had the Watchers tape it. He took her to that pizza place, that has a huge ball pit." Madeline whispered softly but she saw that Nikita responded only by tensing up. Madeline pulled her hand off of Nikita's shoulder, scared now that Nikita's problems were extended to more categories that just men.

"Mia took the balls and was throwing them at Operations when he told her it was time to go. You wouldn't believe what happened." Madeline said, and she smiled at Nikita turned with a smile on her own drawn face.

"Perfect aim, right? That's Michael in her." Nikita commented and Madeline dropped her head a little and touched Nikita's right hand and saw a little reflex. Madeline knew that the doctor's would be pleased with that progress.

"Actually, yes, she had perfect aim, but I could tell that it was also part of you, because she was consistently hitting him below the belt." Madeline said and Nikita immediately exploded into laughter. Nikita shook her head as the rumbling outside multiplied, but Nikita could not stop.

"Was he talking high for long?" Nikita questioned and Madeline smirked at the comment. Madeline could easily remember the intense stare of hate that Operations had given her when he returned from the pizza place. Madeline had almost buckled over when Operations began to talk, and later when he finally put some ice on his injury from the plastic balls.

"Yes, he was. Mia has a really strong arm. That has to come from both of you." Madeline said and Nikita covered her mouth as she continued to giggle. Madeline was pleased with the action, as it took Nikita's mind momentarily off of other problems around her, and Madeline was sure she had to continue to do that for Nikita.

"Hey, is that my sugar laughing?" Walter asked as pushed through the back door, showing signs of being ambushed by the hose totting Mia, Michael, and Operations. Nikita looked at Walter and smiled.

"It is if that is Walter dripping on my newly cleaned floor." Nikita commented back as Madeline turned to go out onto the porch, hoping to turn off the water before she got attacked herself. Madeline hoped that Mia didn't inherit Michael's techniques for ambush.

*

Leanor looked up to her pacing patient with eyes filled with concern. It had been two weeks of trying to fill in the scratchy information about Michael and his mysterious wife Nikita, and it had been two weeks of trying to keep up with Michael's need for always changing appointments.

"Michael, when you called, it sounded urgent. I cleaned my appointments away. Now, I can wait for four hours until you pace yourself to exhaustion, or you can try talking." Leanor said slowly as she looked at Michael's tense body. Michael turned and looked at Leanor and then leaned his head back.

"I am hurting her. I should let her with people she is comfortable with." Michael replied and Leanor shook her head in the statement. There were things that just did not add up with Michael and his story. Whenever Leanor would question Michael on the details, there were always reasonable explanations, yet Leanor had to wonder. A patient normally never presented the entire story to a therapist, and Michael was. There was something in those actions that bothered Leanor and it reminded her of her own past, which she quickly pushed away from her mind.

"Would that be her mother?" Leanor asked and Michael tensed up immediately.

"No. She has no mother..." Michael hissed out and then he stopped. He looked at Leanor's cold coal eyes and knew the tremendous error he had just stated and knew the look on Leanor's face. Michael turned around as Leanor stood up.

"You said that Nikita's mother is watching your daughter. Which is the right story, Michael?" Leanor questioned firmly, trying to push this love of toughness towards Michael. Approaches with warmth and concerned had failed miserably and Leanor only had so many other ways to approach this task at hand.

"She is not her real mother." Michael said tensely as he looked down at his hands. Michael noticed how the light reflected off of the peach paint and against his fingers and body. Michael turned and pulled down the blind without asking Leanor. He had become accustomed to Nikita keeping everything dark, that the light was almost blinding.

"Nikita was adopted?" Leanor asked, as it would mean a new whole set of ideas to take Nikita as. Michael nodded his head as he turned from the window.

"Yes, adopted." Michael agreed as he moved towards the chair that he had yet to sit down in, and plopped his body down. Leanor waited and looked out the window, sometimes feeling as if Michael was a dream or worse yet, a joke.

"You should have told me that, Michael. A lot sooner." Leanor said and Michael dropped his head in immediate disappointment. Leanor read the pain on his face, as he showed an instant reaction to the possibility that he held back Nikita's recovery because he neglected to share some facts.

"But that is not what I am concerned about now. Why this concern today, Michael?" Leanor prodded for an answer and Michael lifted his head and smiled at Leanor. He could not tell Leanor the truth that the threats had started to get thrown from Operations, and that again, both Michael and Nikita started to worry about Mia's safety with him. They both knew what they saw every other day was not who Operations was.

"I am always concerned about Nikita." Michael replied tensely as he used the statement to gather time to piece together a good lie with some truth laced among it. He remembered the nights he would sit up, trying to figure out how this was going to help Nikita at all.

"Stop avoiding the question, Michael. What happened today?" Leanor demanded with fierceness in her voice that it sadly reminded Michael of what Nikita use to be like. The feelings of disappear had started to fill his life, wondering if Nikita would ever make it to a place out of that house. She was healing physically, but Michael had yet to see any emotional healing.

"She pushed me away while making breakfast. She was scared. Trembling, and she couldn't even accept my touch." Michael slowly said and turned his head away. He did not want to admit it that Nikita's reaction had bothered him so much, but Michael was scared to find the tears on Nikita's face.

"Why were you near her?" Leanor questioned as Michael pushed his tears away with his long and structured fingers. Michael licked his lips slowly and looked up at Leanor with an expression that finally allowed the blank mask he had been wearing for weeks now, totally drop.

"I thought she should sit down. She still is weak." Michael said and Leanor nodded her head, as she remembered a few other times where Leanor was sure that Michael was making a mistake in his interpretation of Nikita's actions.

"Michael, maybe she didn't push you away because you were scaring her. Maybe you upset her." Leanor said and in a split second, Michael stood up defensively and began to pace again. Leanor frowned and closed her eyes.

"She is an independent woman, Michael. She will ask for your help when she needs it." Leanor said and Michael turned around and shook his head back and forth microscopically but Leanor focused on that no motion.

"If I do that, I will never get her to accept any other touch from anyone." Michael proclaimed as if it was a written law and for some moments of silence, Leanor was sure that Michael was right. Yet, Leanor would never allow any of her patients to think that a situation is permanent, because they were almost never permanent.

"Michael, you have to make the moves when she is asking for your help. I am sure that there will be a time when Nikita asks for your help. That is the time to touch her and to make her accept your touch, without her being defensive." Leanor said and Michael looked at Leanor and pressed his lips together. There was logic behind Leanor's thinking, but it would go against everything that Michael had stood for. Waiting for an opportunity was never an option for Michael, he would create them first.

"I know it goes against your nature..." Leanor said slowly and she watched the expression on Michael's face turn stone cold at the mention of himself. Leanor was sure that she was right, and that Michael had defensively moved back to the stone face.

"I am not here about me. I am here to help Nikita." Michael demanded and Leanor nodded her head in agreement, as she had done all the other times that she heard that statement from Michael. She wasn't sure if that statement was one hundred percent correct, as each session seemed to reveal more about Michael and less about Nikita.

"I know, Michael, but since you are the one I have in the office, I can only make definitive comments about you." Leanor said as she stood up.

"Dr. Westfall, I will say it again, I am here for the well being of my wife." Michael said sternly and Leanor tilted her head as she stared at Michael's face.

"Are you afraid that you might have more emotions for her than you want to show me? Are you afraid to show me that you are weak without her? What are you hiding from me?" Leanor pushed as she moved closer to Michael. She did not gain any reaction out of Michael's eyes or lips that she had expected. The words seemed to have washed right off of his back like he was superman, nothing touching that interior of himself that Michael protectively kept, even now.

"What are you hiding from Nikita? Are you this stern and cold around her? Does she look into your eyes and wonder what you really are thinking?" Leanor pressured as she felt her own nerves being shot to hell by Michael's presence so unchanging.

"Nikita knows me." Michael replied and Leanor stepped back with a startle, finding it hard that anyone would chose to be with a man who showed nothing. Leanor had her own experience with men like Michael and she found that most of them were only armor and nothing else. She pushed her experiences aside, because she knew they did not apply on a whole to Michael.

"I think we are over. We aren't getting anywhere." Michael said in frustration of the conversation, and Leanor dropped her head in failure. She looked towards the closed window and lifted her head.

"Michael, wait for Nikita to provide the opening. Anything else would be counter-productive." Leanor said as she heard Michael pulling the office door open. She waited for a response from Michael but was only met with the clicking of the door shut.

Leanor opened the blinds and soaked in the sun, feeling the need to run free into the beautiful day outside. She had always attempted to maintain an atmosphere of warmth, and when Michael suddenly turned the tables on her, the session had gone downhill. She lost focus and the goal of the treatment. Leanor slumped down in her chair, stopping herself from canceling even more patients. She could not devote her entire life to one patient.

*

Leanor sat at her desk, rubbing her forehead as she glared at the file sitting in front of her. It was less than twenty-four hours ago when she last saw Michael and now he was returning. It was not to say that Leanor was not interested, but she was concerned about the reasoning why Michael was returning, and she hoped that it was nothing as complex as it could be.

The door opened into the room and Leanor turned her head to look at Michael as he strode in, looking like a paradox of terms, relaxed but tense, happy but sad, sedated but ecstatic. Leanor waited for Michael to sit down before she crossed her arms in front of herself.

"Good morning, Michael." Leanor said and she was pleasantly surprised with the reaction on Michael's face as it showed warmth and emotions quite quickly without any prodding from herself. Leanor though, was not going to place a comment on the reaction, as more than likely, Michael would clamp down on his emotions, and that was exactly what Leanor did not want to happen.

"Good morning, Dr. Westfall." Michael replied and Leanor raised an eyebrow. She knew that Michael was not here because of an emergency, as he was as calm as she had seen in him ever. Leanor leaned forward and tilted her head.

"Is there a reason why you are here today, or do you just like spending your money?" Leanor joked lightly and Michael nodded his head and looked towards the window. Today, Michael didn't worry about the light, it seemed right. Everything seemed right for the first time in a long while.

"There was a break through last night." Michael said, as he allowed a brilliant smile infect his face as it grew in it's brightness and intensity. Leanor blinked her eyes a few times and sighed.

"I'll be the judge of that. Tell me what happened, Michael." Leanor said as she sat back in the chair. Maybe now she would gather the information to fill in the rest of the blanks on that questionnaire from the first day.

Nikita walked out of the bathroom with a robe tightly wrapped around her body. Michael only briefly looked at her as he looked at the computer, as Madeline was on a brainstorming kick about ways to get Nikita and Honus Breslove talking. Michael didn't like any of them and he continued to type his disagreements with them as he heard something that didn't seem right.

"Nikita, did you turn off the water?" Michael questioned as he turned around and found a dry head of hair on Nikita's body and he looked at her. He was sure that he heard the water running. Nikita swallowed as she carefully sat on the edge of the bed.

"I want a bath, Michael." Nikita stated and Michael blinked his eyes and looked at her. She looked so young in those moments when she needed Michael for something that she really wanted. Michael flipped the computer down, leaving Madeline to her own ideas and looked at Nikita.

"I thought you could get a shower by yourself now." Michael whispered and Nikita played with the tie of her robe carefully. She stared at it for a few moments before lifting her head.

"When did that occur, Michael?" Leanor asked and Michael tilted his head from the side.

"Four days ago Nikita announced that she could handle herself." Michael informed Leanor and she nodded her head lightly and smiled.

"That explains a lot." Leanor commented and dropped her head. When she rose it, when Michael had not continued on with the story, she saw the look on his face. She knew immediately that she was working with a man who had some degree of paranoia and she would have to explain the comment.

"It gives me insight to what occurred yesterday in your kitchen. You have this need to help her." Leanor said with a long pause. She looked at Michael and knew the words that were about to come out of his mouth that caused her to raise her hand.

"I know, this is about Nikita. Why don't you continue?" Leanor pleasantly said and she was pleased when Michael swallowed and showed that he was willing to go on with what occurred.

"Baths are different Michael. Men never understand that." Nikita said as she stood up and Michael raised an eyebrow. Michael shifted in the seat and cleared his throat.

"Where are you going?" Michael questioned and Nikita stopped and looked at Michael, without bringing her eyes to his.

"To turn off the water. I can't lower myself into the tub, Michael, and I don't like to waste water. I'll just get a shower." Nikita said as she used her good arm to push her hair out of her face. Michael watched Nikita turn and move towards the bathroom before he stood up.

Nikita was staring down at the facet and Michael realized that it must have been an accomplishment for her to turn them on, as she would have needed to lean on her good arm and turned the facets with her bad arm. Nikita stepped back lightly, as if trying to regain her balance and Michael touched her waist softly.

"Let's get you into that bath. Are you going to need more help?" Michael questioned and Nikita nodded her head softly.

"Did she jump when you touched her on the waist?" Leanor asked and Michael blinked his eyes and turned his head in thought. Leanor could watch Michael going through the entire scene in his head and his eyes suddenly focused on Leanor.

"No." Michael replied, almost tentatively, as if he was sure, he might curse further improvement.

"Continue, Michael." Leanor instructed Michael softly.

"It is still hard to wash my hair." Nikita commented softly as Michael bent down and touched the water with his hand. It was not too warm, and he touched Nikita's cheek with it, and she nodded her head yes slightly. She stepped forward and dropped the bathrobe and turned her head to look at the tub. Michael waited as Nikita stepped up into the large bathtub, with his head down as he did not want Nikita to think he was staring.

"Now." Nikita softly said and Michael stepped forward and placed his hands around her waist. She reached out with her good arm, and started the awkward trip down into the water. Michael waited until Nikita pulled her arm away from the side, to pulls his hands from her waist.

Michael had turned to dry his hands off on a towel, as he made preparations to leave Nikita to her bath until she needed help getting out of the tub. Michael turned and found Nikita's head curled downward as her fingers moved in a circle in the warm water. In an instance, Michael bent down to the side of the tub and reached out to Nikita's good shoulder.

"Nikita, what is it?" Michael questioned softly and he saw the tears on Nikita's face. Her body was trembling, even though it was sitting in the warm water. Michael reached up and turned on the build in sun lamp and looked at Nikita.

"I can't even do the simplest things, Michael. I can't take a bath... I can't even reach the sponge!" Nikita cried out as she looked over her shoulder and to the holder that the sponge sat on. Michael looked across the tub and waited. He wanted Nikita to relax and he was almost frightened to ask the next words.

"Do you want my help, Nikita?" Michael whispered out and Nikita nodded her head up and down. Michael was about to reach for the sponge, when Nikita lifted her head up to look at Michael through her long bangs and Michael stopped.

"I don't have the strength to sit up, Michael.... I want to lean on something..." Nikita cried out and Michael licked his lips as he looked at the large tub. Michael swallowed and stood up and quickly pealed his own clothes. He slowly sat down in the tub behind Nikita and grabbed the sponge. He softly stroked it up and down Nikita's back, trying not to touch the sensitive scar from the bullet. Nikita slowly leaned back to Michael's arms.

"That was a brave move on your part. What would you have done if she would have panicked?" Leanor asked carefully and Michael tilted his head to the side and sighed.

"She wasn't going to panic. I knew what I could do." Michael replied and Leanor smiled as she looked at the paper. She had serious doubts about how Michael could know Nikita so intimately, to make a judgment call like he had there, and yet, to have spent more time away from her in the past seven years than with her.

"I wished all my couples had that ability. Continue." Leanor sharply remarked. She watched Michael's eyes take in the commented with a grain of salt before allowing the words disappear into the air in order to continue with what Michael had called a break through.

"Nikita.... Lean back." Michael whispered as he rubbed her neck muscles lightly. Slowly, Nikita did just that, allowing the water to cover her body more and more, and moving deeper and deeper into Michael's lap. Michael continued to rub the neck, and then moved to her scalp as the water covered her neck.

Michael turned his attention back to the sponge, and he slowly squirted some soap into the sponge to create the clean and fresh bubbles. Nikita closed her eyes as Michael slowly brushed her arms with the sponge, cleaning her softly.

Michael looked at Nikita's stomach and slowly brushed the sponge across it and saw that Nikita had relaxed enough to allow his soft touch. Carefully, Michael started to bring his arm back towards his body, lightly grazing across the middle of Nikita's breasts. Michael paused and carefully brushed each one, not spending too much time on either one, but enough to feel good about the movement. Nikita did not jump in horror once.

Michael dropped the sponge and kissed Nikita's forehead lightly, before he helped her to sit back up in the tub, where he turned his attention to washing her long blonde hair.

"That is your breakthrough?" Leanor asked as Michael folded his hands on his lap and looked at Leanor. Michael cocked his head to the side and stared at Leanor.

"It is a huge step for Nikita." Michael said and Leanor blinked her eyes and then felt her stomach churning. If Michael saw that as a major step for Nikita, then Leanor was incorrect with the assessment of Nikita's condition. Leanor leaned back in her chair and forced the thoughts out of her mind, as she had to deal with what she was being given. If she couldn't have Nikita's full history, from Nikita herself, she was going to have to work with what she got.

Michael carefully waited; as if he was waiting for praise, and that was the Section One normal activity for news like Michael thought he had presented. It was scary for him to look straight at Leanor and have no other words. He watched as she pulled out a card and wrote something down on it.

"Michael, we cannot lose focus on what Nikita has been through. This may be an improvement that is temporarily seen and I have to think of that possibility." Leanor said and Michael shook his head as he watched Leanor push the card towards him in a similar fashion that Madeline had done to present Michael with her number.

"Nikita is doing great. She asked for my help. She didn't jump when I touched her waist or her breasts! I think we are making vast improvements." Michael said and Leanor could only nod her head as she listened to Michael's passionate words, as she was sure that Michael believed them.

"Michael, you said that Nikita had been raped. Those memories can come back to haunt her at anytime, and usually occur when there has been a breakthrough. That is my pager number, in case anything extraordinary occurs and I am not in the office." Leanor said and Michael picked up the card and shook his head. He pushed his massive thighs up to stand up in the room. Leanor waited as she watched Michael slide the card into his wallet. Michael looked at Leanor and said not another word as he left for the day.

*