"Pappap... I am a woman..." Mia stated out angrily and Operations turned to view her eyes. He tilted his head, almost seeing that he might be able to make progress.

"What about the tickets?" Operations questioned and Mia sighed with disappointment that it continued to be a problem. She rolled her head around and looked at Operations.

"Fine.... I'll slow down." Mia stated and Operations smirked at the comment. He didn't believe it at all, but then, it was some progress. He slowly rubbed his hands together and then allowed Mia to stand back up, trying to escape.

"Where are you going?" Operations bellowed and Mia froze with one foot in the air. She placed it down and turned around to look at him.

"Mia.... I don't know what is going on at your home.... But you have to grow up." Operations softly stated and Mia tilted her head to the side and allowed real tears to flow from her face. He reached his wrinkled hands to Mia and motioned for his granddaughter to sit down on the couch with him. His heart momentarily twanged as it reminded him that he was not Mia's biological granddaughter, but it felt as real as that relationship could have been.

"Sometimes it is so hard..... I think I do the stuff to get attention... But instead... I get punished." Mia softly admitted and Operations blinked his eyelids over his blue eyes as he stared at the windows in the far off dinning room. It was a very large step for Mia to be admitting something as she already had.

"Mia... you got consecutive speeding tickets and you probably had Birkoff cover them, correct?"

"Yes." Mia softly admitted in a meek and weary voice. Although it showed her wisdom, it showed that she was just really trying to hide her behavior.

" And your piercings..." Operations stated and Mia grabbed his hand and squeezed it.

"Can I tell you something, Pappap?" Mia questioned and Operations quickly nodded his head, not knowing what had caused her to stop his words. She dropped his hand and pulled her shirt up.

"This is infected, isn't it?" Mia questioned as Operations turned and looked down at the belly button ring in question. It was red and inflamed, definitely infected, as Mia knew it to be. He reached over and touched the belly button and it sent Mia almost across the couch.

"It needs to be taken out, Mia. You are going to get sick." Operations firmly stated out and Mia started to cry again. She dropped her shirt and knew that those words were what she knew to be true before she questioned.

"I didn't think this would happen... Everyone has them..." Mia stated out as she pushed her hair out of her face in a way that Operations had gotten use to by watching Nikita for too many years. He reached out and completed the other side of her hair.

"You are a lot like your mother... a free spirit... and I know at times you just want to do what you want to do... but you have to learn the control your mother has." Operations started to explain as he reached out to remove the belly button ring. Mia sobbed lightly and looked at him.

"But I don't want to be like her... She left us!" Mia exclaimed after his words had stopped and Operations gave the ring one final tug and released it from the belly button. Operations took the ring and palmed it in his hand as he leaned back from Mia.

"That is part of her control, Mia. She has to weight all the options out and what is most important.... Although her family is the most important... things are different for her than any of your friend's mothers... Her life is not simple... and if you continue in this path... you may be in a situation like your mother's." Operations coldly stated as his frosted eyes dropped to her face.

"You don't mean..."

"You are heading in that direction, Mia. Don't let it happen." Operations said as he turned and stood up, knowing that he had properly scared Mia enough on this day. Plus, he wanted to grill Madeline for more information about the statement she had given him. He wanted to know what was going on with Nikita. Nikita issues were never really good in nature.

"I'll just go on a walk on the beach...."

"Ah.. ah.. aah... You are punished at home and I can't willing allow you to have fun while you are here." Operations stated firmly and Mia turned around and glared at him.

"Come on Pappap.. I've never been here!" Mia exclaimed in anger. He stepped forward and he placed a kiss on Mia's head.

"If you go to the beach, you are going with me.... And we'll discuss the reasons why should not be smoking... from a man who knows the downfalls of such a bad habit..." Operations said and Mia dropped her head dejected from the news. She may have just gotten a worse punishment.

*

It was deadly quiet when the team trudged into the hallways of Section One, having been brief on the plane about what Michael had to go find. It was the best thing to do, because Madeline honestly believed that the plane would be returned one person short. That was not the case, and Michael walked in the back of all the other operatives, staring off to space, with a hallow and drained face.

Madeline blinked her eyes as she wondered what she should tell Michael first. He had accessed the medical file himself that Birkoff had pulled up and read it from the beginning to end. Yet, he didn't research the terms anymore than he did. He stared at the words non-invasive and invasive, yet he really didn't know what all of that meant. Although Madeline had ordered Birkoff to take a nap, he gathered up his computer and walked to medical. He grilled them about the two types of cancers that were listed on Nikita's file and then briefed Madeline. It was information that Michael would need soon.

There was also the fact that Mia was gone. It wasn't something that Madeline wanted to tell Michael, period. It was only more complicated since Mia had skirted past the security, paid and got on a commercial flight and ran to Operations. Michael wasn't going to take that one easy at all.

Michael turned to the right and Madeline followed behind, at a safe distance. He looked angry, and it was possible that he was going to do a workout, as he was known to do in order to burn off some of the energy that was coursing through his body. That thought was dashed as Michael turned to the right and Madeline knew exactly where he was heading.

"Michael," Madeline called out as he started to disappear into the dark corridor, but he did not stop. He didn't even slow his pace or turn his head. Madeline swallowed and followed behind, knowing that the fury was not even started, but it soon will be.

Michael accessed the panel to the door and opened up the area. There was Aubrey, sitting on the small couch, Indian style, playing with a computer game. He looked to his father and looked to the door that should have been closed since Mia was grounded. It was wide open and pictures of the family and her winning soccer team were gone.

Mia was gone.

"Where is she?" Michael growled as his body jumped around to face Madeline. Madeline looked to Aubrey as he stood up. He knew what was going on, as Madeline comforted him by telling him what Mia had done. The younger sibling dearly loved his sister had was petrified about what was going to happen to her. Aubrey walked past Madeline and into the hallway as Madeline briefly allowed her hand to rub against his hair on his head.

"Michael... she slipped past us," Madeline slowly stated and Michael started to shake his head. He was getting overwhelmed and Madeline knew that. She wanted to speak with Michael, but he just moved to the phone and pulled it up.

"Walter... to my quarters," Michael issued out and Madeline stepped forward. She rubbed her hands together. He might not be happy that they found Mia. The place she ran to could be seen as Mia trying to hurt her father another time.

"Michael... she was found," Madeline stated and Michael narrowed his eyes. All he wanted to do was come off of that plane and come and hug his daughter. He wanted to apologize for being so mean and for being so strict. He wanted to hold his daughter and cry, because she was Nikita and Nikita was Mia. It was so hard how Michael could even think of coming to his daughter to express his pain about what was happening with Nikita, but he needed his daughter. Yet, she wasn't here.

"Let me guess..." Michael coolly stated out as he rubbed his hands together. "She went to see her great, old, retired, Pappap."

"That is correct." Madeline stated and Michael rolled his eyes and slumped down to the couch. He placed his worn face down into his palms and shook his head back and forth. Madeline wanted to join him too, she was getting overwhelmed, because Section One is what made everything work. If there were no Section One, Oversight would exist. It was that simple. But it was more than that.

Madeline cared for Michael, Nikita and their family. Plus, what woman couldn't feel something when they found someone close to them had breast cancer. It was the one thing that hit home more than anything else was. It could be deadly, but Madeline wouldn't allow herself to think that way.

"And he is going to bend over backwards and give her a good time. What is the use of punishing her? She is never going to learn with him." Michael said as he lifted his head and looked at Madeline. Suddenly he looked very old, much older than his biological age. Madeline stepped forward and sat down by Michael's side.

"Actually, no. He is punishing her, in a way he can. But most importantly, he is going to talk to her." Madeline stated out and she knew that it was rubbing Michael wrong. Her words basically told Michael that he was a bad father and he dropped his head once again.

"I have a lot of problems right now, Madeline. He can keep Mia." Michael stated out as he rubbed his hands together. Madeline blinked her eyes. Yes, there was Nikita not wanting him to stay, but that was only one problem.

"Michael... I suggest your focus stay on your family... Your entire family... Nikita may just need to see her family to change her mind." Madeline stated out as the door opened and Michael lifted his head. No one had told Walter yet about Nikita's new status. Michael rubbed his hands together and stood up. He retrieved the piece of paper out of his pocket and handed it to Walter.

"I need you to go to St. Anne's Hospital to room 1078." Michael stated and Madeline looked to Michael and tried to reach for his hand. The man moved away too quickly. He was making this more difficult for himself, in a way that was so much like what Nikita was doing to herself.

"Why? Who is in the hospital?" Walter questioned and Michael closed his eyes. He didn't have the strength to look into Walter's eyes while telling him something that was going to destroy him. If there was someone inside of Section One that loved Nikita about as much as Michael did, it was Walter. The man would be destroyed with this news, but Michael didn't know what else he could do.

"Nikita."

"What?" Walter questioned as he moved forward as his entire body seemed to collapse. He pulled himself up, trying to talk himself into that it was not serious, but Walter looked at Michael. The man's eyes still gave him away... too much. Michael was gapping, trying to form the words to tell Walter what was wrong with Nikita, but instead, turned around.

"Nikita has breast cancer. She has battling it for almost ten months." Madeline supplied as she stepped up to the batter's box. Someone had to tell Walter, but someone also had to reach out for Walter as he slumped forward, feeling pain he didn't expect. This was almost as worse as hearing that Nikita had passed away. This meant that she was sick, that she was fighting, and that Michael left her in that hospital by herself.

"Why... I ought to..." Walter started to yell as he reached out to take Michael's neck into his hands. He wanted to strangle the man.

"I just found out, Walter... and I'm sending you... Because she kicked me out." Michael pronounced with pain on each word. In fact, each word was more than filled with pain, it was filled with the shock of knowing about Nikita and the fact that Nikita didn't want him. That if anything gave Michael a sensation of feeling that was more than pain. Pain didn't justify what it was doing to him.

"No?" Walter stated in question form, but it was more out of shock. It was totally against anything he knew Nikita to do. The girl loved her husband and had his support in the past one hundred percent. He could barely understand why Nikita would do this now, push Michael away when he wanted to hold her and take care of him. Walter didn't know what he could do for Nikita. He couldn't be Michael, so what was he being asked to be.

"Walter, I think Michael is right in his orders here," Madeline pitched in softly as she rubbed Walter's back. He slumped back and turned away from the two operatives. He rubbed his pounding headache and swallowed back his tears.

"What am I suppose to do? Isn't she going to kick me out just like she did with her own husband?" Walter sternly questioned; making sure the emphasis was on the fact that Michael had been kicked out, why should she allow Walter to stay. Madeline was about to approach the subject with an answer as Michael turned and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"You have a way with Nikita... but more importantly, you will charm the nurses into giving you information we haven't been able to access and you will be stern with the doctors when they try to drag their feet. That is who you are and that is the person that Nikita needs now." Michael announced and Walter rocked back on his feet. He was astounded by Michael's words, and flabbergasted that Michael felt enough confidence in him to send him to his wife when she was in crisis.

"I'll leave now." Walter said and Michael turned and swallowed. He wished he could allow Walter to go right away, but there was on more issue, no two issues that had to be dealt with. Madeline watched as Michael reached out for Walter and stopped his forward progression. "What?"

"I need you to create a few bombs... Section Two was done by a good terrorist group.. And we have some leads and we need to destroy them." Michael said as he pulled out the disk and handed it to Madeline. It answered all of her questions about what he had done on the airplane trip. She moved to the computer and started to work herself.

"Is that all? That should only take about a day." Walter said and Michael looked over his shoulder and then to Madeline. Madeline didn't notice the gaze, as Michael was wondering what he should do with the other issue, Mia. If he didn't order Walter to keep the information back, it was possible that he would mention it to Nikita, just to start a conversation. That would only make her more upset, which Michael was sure that Nikita didn't need now. Yet, she was Mia's mother.

"What, Michael?" Walter questioned as he studied Michael's stormy eyes as the turmoil roiled over the blended colors. He turned his head back to Walter and dropped his eyes, now only looking up at Walter through his eyelashes.

"Don't tell Nikita about Mia being with Operations." Michael ordered from that position and then he rose his head, as if challenging Walter. It was stupid, he knew that Walter was going to say something. He always had something to say when it came to Mia and Operations. He didn't want the girl anywhere near that man, even though, in the end, he helped Michael and Nikita. It was too little, too late, when he already knew he was defeated.

"You are letting her stay down there?" Walter questioned and those heated words, popped Madeline's head back up. Michael could feel the two piercing sets of eyes, focused on him, both thinking the same thing he was thinking.

"I asked the same thing, Walter."

"Mia is extremely like her mother..... Paul in the past has... curved some of Nikita's... independent and rebellious traits." Michael stated as he closed his eyes. He didn't even believe the lying words as they sputtered from his mouth. He turned and stepped backwards, seeing Walter and Madeline gravitating towards each other, and ganging up against Michael on this point.

"Michael..." Madeline warned out, knowing the lying and know that Michael knew he wasn't going to get such a blanket statement over on the two of them. They all had opinions on how much exposure Mia and Aubrey should have with Paul and all of their opinions barely mattered as it seemed as if the kids and Paul always placed manners in their own hands. Paul had bounded with the children in a way that he would never admit and in return, the children still called him Pappap.

"Fine... Truth?" Michael questioned and Madeline and Walter nodded their heads. "I'm worried that the attack may be heading here... that this wasn't about Section Two, that they were trying to get to me.... Mia being out of this place, protects her... I'm thinking of doing the same with Aubrey."

"NO!" Madeline and Walter screamed loudly in unison. Michael turned his head and rubbed his hand in his hair. He was allowing their judgements mar his... Michael couldn't allow that to continue. He had to make the decision and stick to it, but this was more than a small mission. This was his son. This was his daughter. This was the responsibility that Nikita had handed to him when she left and he couldn't allow anything to happen to them.

"Aubrey will stay here... I want him to go with Madeline wherever she goes..." Michael stated. "It's an order." Michael belted out before Madeline could even protest. Michael turned and looked to Walter.

"I want you to do exactly as I said. Not a word to Nikita that Mia is with Operations. It would be unhealthy." Michael issued in a deep voice as he stared into Walter's eyes. It was a threat; Walter knew that from the eyes alone, even though the words didn't say that he would kill him. It was stated in the words. Walter understood Michael's wishes and he nodded his head in compliance.

"Now.. Get out." Michael issued and Madeline looked to Walter and nodded her head. They silently left and Michael dropped to the floor, drained and feeling absolutely helpless. His only hope he did have was that Nikita was much stronger than he was in this moment.

*

It was two days before Walter got out of Section One and to the hospital known as St. Anne's. In the end, Walter wanted to read the files and talk to Birkoff. Birkoff provided the important information about the ductal carcinoma in situ and the medullary that were all over Nikita's files. In simple sense, one was non-invasive and the other invasive. Yet, from what Birkoff read, the medullary was a bad case, but it hadn't spread anywhere. The doctor, Phil Garrison, agreed to allow Nikita to use the chemotherapy for that case because it was what he considered a mild case.

Personally, Walter did not like Dr. Phi Garrison. There was something about the man's name that seemed all wrong to Walter, although both Madeline and Birkoff had pulled up tons of files about the greatness of this man. It might have been because Walter didn't trust doctors period, but this was different.

He walked down the hallway and smiled at the nurses. He was still on the seventh floor. He was trying to scope out the hospital before he went to Nikita. It was also away that he prepared himself for how Nikita would look. Michael didn't give details, just said that she was bald.

Norma hovered around Nikita after she disconnected the IV bag. She pulled it down into the basin and reached out for Nikita. Her pain seemed to be increasing, but her spirit didn't waver. Then again, this may have been the last bag of CMF that Nikita would use in her lifetime. That was her spirit.

"Norma... go eat... I'm going to be fine." Nikita chided the woman as she stood near Nikita. Norma was sure that Nikita noticed the additional attention she had been giving her since she saw what transpired between her husband and herself. Norma stayed late into the one night, knowing that Nikita had to break down sooner or later. She found that Nikita easily kept back the pill that was suppose to cause her to sleep, and cried late into the night. The on-shift nurse only stated that it was easier to allow Nikita to do what she wanted, because she always did what she wanted, no matter what.

That statement rubbed Norma wrong and she walked into the room and touched Nikita's shoulder. It was the first time that Nikita didn't try to push Norma's soft touch away. The woman was scared and she saw that Nikita was doing something that she didn't want to do. She had pushed her husband away for reasons that she truly believed where correct, but did not agree with the messages that were in her heart.

"This may be the last bag that I take off of you, Nikita. Wouldn't that be great?" Norma questioned with a forced smile, trying to be the only brightness in Nikita's life. It did make Norma's job a bit easier, knowing that the one patient wasn't going to order her around and that this one patient truly needed her, while the others, just didn't need her in the same way. It was something that Norma found was lacking in her job.

"We'll see." Nikita commented as she wheezed heavily. Norma reached around and grabbed the pillow without even asking the question. She wished and wished that Nikita would give into the pain medication for weeks but once she saw Nikita's husband, it was like an understanding washed across her, that she was fighting when she didn't take the medication. If she did take the medication... it would signal defeat.

"I'm sure... You stated today that you thought the test went well." Norma replied, as she placed the pillow on Nikita's chest and the frail woman wrapped her arms around it tightly, her skin almost matching the white cover that was on the hypoallergenic pillow.

"I won't know for four days? Doesn't that sound wrong?" Nikita questioned and Norma smiled lightly and stroked at Nikita's forehead. Her stomach wasn't as upset as it had been in ages and she truly looked at Nikita and believed that she was healing that the cancer had passed. The last scan they had done, it was barely a speck and that was almost a month ago. Surely it had to be gone this time.

"They are doing that to give your body some rebound time.... You know how they give you breaks when it is too much." Norma softly explained as she pulled the blanket up on Nikita's body. She was shivering and didn't even ask for the help to pull it up. It was only one thing that Norma found herself checking on at least every half-hour.

"I know... But I hate waiting." Nikita commented and Norma nodded her head and stepped away from the bed and looked into Nikita's eyes. "Because you want to get home to your kids," Norma commented.

That night, when Nikita finally allowed Norma in, to see her pain, to know her somewhat, Nikita spoke of her kids. It sounded like it had been an awful long time since she had seen them and it appeared as if they only time she had called them was when she had taken one or two hour passes from the hospital. When she got to where she was now... she called them from a pay phone. Norma could tell that Nikita did not want her children to know at all.

"Mia and Aubrey." Nikita softly muttered and Norma smiled at the names. Nikita hadn't allowed Norma to know them, saying that when she was sure that she was going to be leaving the hospital, she would tell Norma the names. Those names brought a smile so broad to Norma's face that she didn't dread as she turned out and walked out the room.

"Are you her nurse?" Walter questioned as he grabbed the redhead nurse right after she closed Nikita's door, knowing that Nikita liked even more privacy since her husband had arrived that one day.

"Yes... Why do you ask?" Norma questioned and Walter looked around. If he said he was a friend, the nurse wasn't going to tell him anything. Walter really didn't feel like picking up files and having to scheme a way to view Nikita's paper file. It just wasn't what was in him.

"I'm her father.... She doesn't tell me anything..." Walter said as he dropped his head and the tears started to form on his face. The words, that he was her father were ones that Walter always ached to say. It burned him all this time that it was Operations who got that role to play, because he didn't care about Nikita. He was the man that wanted to destroy her all that time, until he took a liking to Mia. It happened sooner than when he was posing as Mia's Pappap, he liked the little girl from the beginning. Maybe Walter knew that from the time he caught Operations looking through the little nursery they had set up to put Mia in after she was born. Maybe Walter should have known all along.

"Well... hopefully this will be her last bag of CMF... the chemo has been doing such a torture to her body.. She was so beautiful." Norma stated as she looked to the door. She wasn't too surprised to see another family member of Nikita's to arrive. It must have been her husband that sent her father. She was surprised that it wasn't a woman, as most men thought and believed that a woman with breast cancer needed another woman to understand. Most often, all they needed was love.

"So there have been tests run to see if the medullary is gone?" Walter questioned with a firm voice, but one that rubbed at Norma. She liked this man. He was very nice and she could see how the ability to be unusually nice ran in the family.

"Yes.. And to make sure that no more forms of cancer are found. But it will be four days." Norma announced and Walter shook his head back and forth. He wouldn't settle for four days.

"I didn't think that tests of that nature took four days. If they were run this morning, shouldn't they know in a few hours? Do you want my daughter sitting in that bed for four days wondering if she gets to see her children again or not?" Walter demanded and he stepped back and shook his head.

"Sorry." Walter said as he looked up at Norma. She tilted her head to the side and compassionately smiled. In ways, this man was Nikita, and in ways, he was definitely not Nikita. Nikita accepted the four days, and her father was being wised and challenged it.

"That is fine. Why don't I go rouse the doctor and get him moving on it, while you go see your daughter?" Norma questioned and Walter nodded his head and he paused and looked at her.

"Once you tell me your first name Nurse Heartworth?" Walter said and Norma smiled and laughed. The man was quite charming.

"Norma... Now go see your Nikita." Norma said as she pulled Nikita's chart up with her hands and dashed down the hallway. Walter could see that the nurse had found a connection to Nikita and would make sure to get that doctor to work as quickly as his eyes could open up.

Nikita lifted her head to see if it was Norma who was peaking into the room. She saw the hair and gasped back a solemn cry. She wanted to scream for this man so often during her treatments. Yet, she knew that she couldn't have trusted Walter to be quiet to the people in Section One. He would have run back to Michael at the first time he broke free from her and squealed everything.

"Sugar..." Walter said as the tears started to fall from his eyes again. Suddenly he felt like a water fountain when he had been able to control his emotions so well. Maybe it was his old age, but as Walter looked at Nikita again, it was the look in Nikita's eyes. That helplessness that was barely holding onto hope. It was the baldhead. It was the pasty complexion that covered her body. It was the hospital bed.

"Walter..."

It was the way that Nikita said his name.

"I'm here, sugar.... And I'm not leaving." Walter pledged as he reached for her hands, but tenderly took them. He was afraid to hold them too tightly, afraid that he would hurt her more, or even break her bones.

"Hold me, Walter." Nikita cried out as she dropped her head and Walter did just that. Knowing that Nikita wasn't going to push him away.

*

It was something that Nikita forgot about and knew that she had purposely lacked. It was human contact. Someone who justs cared for her because they weren't paid to do so. Of course, Nikita knew that Norma went above and beyond the call of duty, but the other nurses, they ran in, did what they had too, and left. It was almost like being helped by a robot. The contact with Walter though, raised her spirits.

"You know... here I was thinking about what could have happened to you, sugar... And this never crossed my mind... and now.. I wish I had asked for my vacation sooner... because I was coming to see you." Walter admitted as he sat on the edge of Nikita's bed. She lightly smiled and squeezed Walter's hand. He was still afraid to touch her too tightly.

"Walter... at first it was minor... one treatment... and I was suppose to be fine," Nikita stated and Walter nodded his head. Slowly he touched her again and smiled.

"But you are better now." Walter said with a smile and Nikita bobbed her head up and down. He waited for Nikita to smile and she looked at the door as Norma stuck her head in and then backed out. Nikita looked up at Walter and smiled once again.

"You like her." Nikita softly stated. At first, her voice was almost like nothing and Walter was sure that it was due to the chemotherapy. Yet, with more time that was passing, a good three hours now, it grew in strength and in power. It could also be because the older man coaxed liquids into her.

"She was watching out for you, Sugar... When you wouldn't let us help you." Walter stated and Nikita turned her head to the side. She knew that she could have taken care of this problem inside of Section One, but she didn't want too. It was her body and in Section One, every single operative would know that she had cancer. They would have betting pools. They would have death pools. It was what Nikita did not want to happen and therefore, along with the strong motive of not straining her family with the illness, she kept away.

"I can't... Walt..." Nikita started to bawl as she stared at her pillow. How sometimes she dreamed that she was home and she had all the wonderful people around her that in some ways that she needed. Those dreams were like emotional therapy to Nikita. She had learned to know Madeline so well, that she had therapy sessions with Madeline in her dreams. The discussions about how can I ever look at my body again happened for numerous nights in a row. Madeline was supportive.

Some of the dreams, it was just her family sitting in the room with her, celebrating her birthday or something like that by having a hospital room picnic. Mia would bring in all of her teenager magazines and Nikita would play checkers with Aubrey. Other times, it was just her and Michael, watching the television until she fell asleep, or Walter telling her jokes in the bad times.

"It's ok, Nikita... Whatever you have to do is fine... I'm not judging you at all... You know what is best for you..." Walter stated firmly, not wanting to see more tears, knowing that her tears would only spurn on his tears. Nikita turned her head and closed her eyes, her eyes looking black and so deep in from her face. Walter took a deep breath and told himself not to think about it.

"Walt..."

"Shhh... You are tired... Sleep." Walter said as he placed his fingers over Nikita's lips, the first time since she left for Section Two that someone did that too her. That thought brought the pain back to Nikita. She couldn't believe that all of Section Two was gone. Walter had filled her in carefully about what happened to Section Two. Nikita felt responsible. All that time Michael believed that she was there, when actually, everything was periodically brought to the hospital to her by the main doctor in Section Two. He was trustworthy, and Nikita found out that he had said not a word to anyone.

"Maybe you can stay awake a bit longer... We have some things to discuss," an older man said as he walked in and Norma was right behind him. Nikita looked to Walter and swallowed.

"Dr. Garrison.... This isn't good is it?" Nikita questioned as she saw Norma behind the doctor. Her face was stricken and Nikita just knew instantly. Her body started to crawl up the bed, further away from the doctor as he turned and nodded to Norma to close the door.

"Nikita... just listen to him..." Norma whispered, as she looked to Walter and the pulled her eyes away. She hated that she had been so optimistic to Walter and with Nikita.

"No.... this isn't happening.. You said I would be fine after this!" Nikita screamed at the doctor. He held the file and placed it on the bed as he sat down.

"I didn't think it was going to spread, so rapidly, Nikita. It has attacked the lymph nodes now." Dr. Garrison said and Walter turned his head away as the tears started to flow. He knew what that meant. He was trying to contain himself for Nikita's sake.

"What does that mean?" Nikita trembled out and Norma reached for Nikita's hand and rubbed her arm. Nikita started to pull away, in a full-blown panic. The doctor wasn't talking back to her quickly enough; her mind was jumping to conclusions.

"We need to schedule you for a radical mastectomy and then we would start probably a combination of radiation therapy and chemotherapy..." Dr. Garrison stated and Nikita pulled the pillow to her face as Walter looked to the doctor and swallowed.

"Why not a modified mastectomy?" Walter questioned and Norma dropped her head. She heard the pain in his voice. It was so terrible seeing the parents going through the cancer with the child... and Nikita was young for breast cancer, but never totally unheard of.

"The cancer is too widespread. We can't chance it." Dr. Garrison stated firmly without emotion. He looked to Nikita and tapped Norma's shoulder. "Why don't we schedule the surgery for the morning...."

"NO!" Nikita shouted as she pulled the pillow away from her face. Norma looked to Nikita and swallowed. This was what she had feared with Nikita. This reaction, the one like this one, would happen. Norma knew it and she turned to look at Walter, who turned his head away and swallowed. He wasn't holding up well on this.

"We need to do this now, Nikita. In a few days, it may spread to other areas of your body," Dr. Garrison urged Nikita. She shook her head and clutched her hand over the area of her body that hated her, the part that made her a woman but the part that was trying to rob her of her life.

"No... let it spread..." Nikita commented and everyone in the room gasped. Walter turned and jumped up on the side of the bed, pushing Norma away.

"No! What about Michael, sugar? This isn't going to go away. If it needs to be done.. It needs to be done." Walter lectured at her and Nikita rolled her head back and swallowed.

"I wouldn't survive, Walter... I am not going to survive either way..." Nikita stated and Walter rolled his eyes and stroked her head. She was already so weak and had this been positive news now, she could have fought this if it happened sometime down the road... but Walter saw a fallen woman. That last string-hold on hope was gone.

"Actually... I have a belief that this would do it, Nikita." Dr. Garrison stated firmly and she turned he eyes of hatred on him.

"I believed you from the beginning... I'm not going to die a woman with a half of a chest! Forget it!" Nikita screamed and Norma stood up, shaking her head. She couldn't watch this any further. This was the problem with getting attached to the patients. Walter didn't have time to watch the nurse run down the hallway.

"Nikita... cancer is never a positive thing... I told you that... you took the risk doing just the chemotherapy." Dr. Garrison stated and Nikita gripped Walter's hand as she drew on some reserve strength. Yet, Walter wasn't exactly on Nikita's side on this issue.

"Sugar... Life is most important... You still got to fight!" Walter said and Nikita closed her eyes and pulled her hands to her chest.

"NO! NO! NO! NO!" Nikita screamed and Walter and Dr. Garrison stepped back. She looked around and swallowed. "I am not having this surgery.... I don't need it! YOU SAID I WOULD BE FINE!"

"I was wrong," Dr. Garrison instantly stated and Nikita continued to cry and shake her head.

"No.. this is wrong.. You got this wrong.... I'm fine.... And you aren't taking it!" Nikita stated firmly, although her voice almost sounded like a child again. Walter reached for her and she instantly slapped at him.

"GET OUT! I don't want to see you!" Nikita screamed and Walter looked at her and shook his own stubborn head.

"We'll talk about this later..." Dr. Garrison said as he wrapped his arm around Walter and started to pull at him. Nikita took the pillow that was around her chest and swallowed. She chucked it at the two retreating men.

"NEVER! NO SURGERY! NO SURGERY!" Nikita cried out with a cry that sounded like a cat shrieking.. The door closed and she looked to the wall. Finally her hand pulled at the calling cord, and for the first time since she arrived in this hospital, some ten months, she pushed it.

"Nikita..." Norma softly said as she opened the door, past the sobbing Walter who was talking to the doctor in the hallway. She pulled the pillow up and reached to give it to Nikita. Norma saw that she wasn't watching her.

"I want something for the pain." Nikita stated out as she continued to stare off to the wall. Norma dropped the pillow at Nikita's feet and swallowed.

She had given up.

"Of course." Norma stated as she brushed nervously at her red hair. She blinked back the tears that had already stained her freckled face and walked to the door. Walter was standing there, watching the retreating doctor. Norma grabbed his hand and pulled him away from the wall and towards the nurses' station.

"She needs her entire family. She is giving up... that family of hers is going to be her only hope." Norma said as she blinked back her tears. Walter nodded his head, about to shake Norma's hand when he noticed Nikita's nurse's pain. He instead hugged her as his own tears fell.

"Thank you for being so good to my sugar..." Walter stated out and Norma closed her eyes. She wondered how Nikita could give up now, as there was so much love in this man alone for that woman.

*

"Pull the teams back five meters," Michael issued as he looked at the screen. The initial contact had been made, the terrorists they surrounded was the group that had done this to Section Two. The multi-Section teams were closing in, while the assault wouldn't be for sometime still. There was a need to see if this little rebellious faction was part of a bigger group, like Red Cell or Glass Curtain, or if it was funded with a very eccentric person with specific ideologies.

"Michael, we are copying outside transmissions. They are connecting to an external computer," an operative behind him reported and he nodded his head. That was the consensus on what was going to be happening during this mission.

"Good. Find it. Send in the third backup team to take it down. I want it in perfect condition." Michael said as he didn't even move his head. He continued to stare at the screen, processing the actions, seeing that the terrorist group had no idea what kind of forces were circling around them, getting ready to assault.

"Michael... Walter is on the line," Birkoff reported and Michael dropped his head and swallowed. He looked at the screen and pulled the earpiece out and dropped it to the table. He didn't even have to speak to Madeline; she walked over and assumed his position, as this mission needed constant supervision.

"Walter..." Michael said as he pulled himself into the glass office and darkened the crystal glass instantly. He looked around, he never had expected to hear back from Walter so quickly. Michael paused and listened to the background, tears and noise. He was calling from the hospital.

"Michael... you got to get the kids and come here," Walter softly stated, as he was about to sob again. He just couldn't think about what was going on with Nikita without crying. They wanted to mutilate her in order to spare her life. Life was the most important, but somehow, Nikita was missing that. Walter knew that it had been Nikita that taught everyone that... that life was most important.

"Why?" Michael questioned out as he leaned forward onto the glass. He was losing his strength; just by the way that Walter was speaking. The tone expressed the tears that Michael knew were falling down Walter's wrinkled and worn cheeks.

"I think that it is best if you just gather your kids and get here, Michael. Nikita really needs her family," Walter stated as he leaned against the wall of the nurses' station, and Norma was behind him, supporting him in his time of need, seeing that Walter was more than shook up about this.

"What aren't you telling me?" Michael demanded as he was starting to get angry. He knew that a call like this, one demanding something like this was bad. Michael knew it in his heart and he knew it in his mind. Michael wanted to hear what Walter had found out. He needed to know.

"Michael, you need to function when you get your kids and come here... I'll tell you when you get here," Walter explained, hoping that it sounded like it was a good reason. He wanted to blurt it out, but he was afraid that the kids would see instantly what is going on, and that wasn't going to help Mia and Aubrey out. Walter knew that when they saw their mom, things were going to break loose.

"Walter. Tell me," Michael postulated as he leaned forward even more. Tears were gathering in his eyes, he knew what was coming was the worse case scenario. There seemed to be no hope as it was, since Walter wasn't giving the information.

"They want to schedule Nikita for a radical mastectomy immediately..." Walter said and then broke off in his own tears. He could hear Michael's through the phone line. He didn't want to tell the rest of the information, but knew that Michael needed to know that things were even worse than what the first part sounded like. "And Nikita is refusing it... she said... she'd rather..."

"Die?" Michael questioned as the door to the office opened up and Madeline stood there, looking at Michael as he leaned his head forward. She knew that she should have waited, but then it looked like Michael needed her now. She turned her head to make sure that the door closed before walking to Michael.

"Yes... Michael, you got to come... You and the kids are her last hope!" Walter cried out as he screamed the words in the hallway. Norma closed her eyes, telling herself that she couldn't cry again. She looked to Walter as he started to hiccup with the tears and she started to cry again. The pain was too raw and too real.

"I'll be there, Walter... But I have to make some arrangements... Earliest would be tonight." Michael explained and broke the line and dropped his head down so that his chin touched his chest. He knew that Madeline was there and he leaned his hands out to the railing to support himself, allowing the torture to take his soul, because with the kids, he couldn't be this scared and this afraid.

"It spread?" Madeline questioned and she watched as Michael nodded his head. He was trying to calm himself down too quickly, Madeline knew Michael too well. He needed to cry more and he needed to yell at the world. She looked to the windows and then back to Michael, seeing that he had told himself he had pulled himself together. He hadn't.

"The mission is over. The terrorists are eliminated," Madeline stated, knowing that it may give more reason for Michael to move quicker. She did not want Section One holding him to this place if Nikita was getting worse in her condition.

"They want to hack her breast off... and she said that she wants to die....." Michael stated bitterly as his green eyes lifted up and looked at Madeline's. Madeline flinched. What Nikita was going through was nothing that any woman should go through. This was Michael's wife, but all tended to forget that for many years, Madeline and Nikita had a special relationship. This could have been her daughter and she was facing death.

"It is the fear talking, Michael," Madeline defined for Michael, knowing that the simpler things are the easier it would be for Michael to go to her side. Madeline guessed on half of the conversation. It must have been Walter issuing orders that Michael had to get there with the kids. The kids were confirmed when Michael said that it had arrangements to do. He had to go get Mia.

"I have to get Aubrey... and then go get Mia....." Michael stated out and Madeline nodded her head. She stepped forward and placed a hand onto his shoulder and Michael slammed his eyes closed.

"Please, Madeline... Don't try to comfort me... Nothing will do that," Michael moaned out like a wounded solider, wanting to die bravely on the battleground. Madeline pulled her hand away, sensing that Michael was ready to battle for Nikita's life even if Nikita had given up on it. It was a very strong position to take, but it could also be very damaging also. Madeline didn't want to see the end of Nikita's life come when the man she loves fought her to the end.

"Michael... I have a few suggestions..." Madeline whispered, seeing that Michael almost turned around, ready to spring out the door. She couldn't blame Michael either. Going to his wife was the priority, but Madeline had to make sure that once he got there, that it remained the priority.

"First... I think you should call Operations back to take control over..." Madeline stated as Michael pulled away and moved to the window, shaking his head.

"No..." Michael weakly mustered out. He didn't want to ask anything of that man. It was bad enough that Michael's daughter ran to him when she was upset at her father, but this was something different. He may try to undo everything that Michael and Nikita had tried to make better. He wouldn't allow that to happen, especially when there is the possibility that Nikita will die.

"Michael... Please... Don't fight me on these... It is for your own good, your children's own good, and Nikita's."

"NO!"

"Michael.. You aren't thinking rationally. You are hurt and can't make the wise decision. Please... ask for help and let him take the responsibilities over. Then you can be with your wife while being only her husband and no one else." Madeline firmly argued, knowing that she had to get this concession. She did not want Michael trying to manage everything. Michael closed his eyes and pulled out the metal necklace and handed it to Madeline.

"Thank you, Michael." Madeline stated and Michael looked to the window again and trembled as he thought of Nikita in that bed. He knew that she had pushed everyone away, but this was to the extreme. She was dying and she was willing to let it win. She never allowed Operations, Section One, or any of the numerous terrorists that captured her and torture her to win. Michael had seen Nikita through some of the wicked things one could imagine on a person. There was the bullet wound in her back, the one that no one knew the scar was for now. She was so wounded by that scar but also by the others she had to be with, the men that tortured her. Michael got her through that because she wanted too, but how was he going to do this now.

"Michael.... I suggest you have Operations start talking to Mia about this...." Madeline whispered out as she closed her hand over the necklace. Michael shook his head, but couldn't produce the words to protest Madeline's. He wanted to be the one to tell Mia. He was going to have to tell Aubrey, but Mia was the one that was going to take all of this hard.

"Operations already knows that she has cancer... but if Mia sees you.. She is going to think that you are there to force her back here.... It will be easier for you, emotionally if Operations approaches this conversation before you arrive," Madeline rationalized out for Michael. The words and explanation making the suggestion more clear in example, than when first said.

"I should tell her," Michael flatly stated as he turned and continued to keep his eyes away from Madeline. It had been many years since Michael had done that activity, playing peek-a-boo with Madeline's eyes. Michael knew that nothing was beyond anyone's sight. Anyone would be able to tell that something bad was going on, not just the woman with the astute knowledge of human behavior and patterns. Yet, Madeline could tell that Michael was dwelling on the worse case scenario.

"Come with me..." Michael stated as he turned and started down the hallway. He moved quickly, issuing orders about refueling the plane and getting a flight plan issued. Madeline stayed by his side, seeing that in some meandering way, he would lead to the quarters were Aubrey was staying in.

"You have to tell them, Michael.... It will be easier on them to see Nikita," Madeline said as he halted in front of the door to the family's living space. Michael bent his head forward and allowed the tears to roll again. He heaved in a breath as Madeline rubbed his back gently.

"You can do this, Michael..." Madeline softly supported until Michael lifted his eyes and settled them almost frostily on Madeline's eyes. She pulled her hand away and stepped back.

"Not I can... but I have too." Michael rudely corrected and Madeline folded her hands in front of her. She was drifting back more, knowing that Michael was right. There was also another motive on stepping back. She didn't want to see the reaction on young Aubrey's face. It wasn't going to be good, she knew that.

"Dad...." Aubrey questioned as the door suddenly opened up. Michael jumped back and looked to Madeline terrified. Michael reached out for his son and pressed him to his body as he took one last long deep breath before saying the horrid news.

"Aubrey... we have to see your mother... She has cancer... and needs us," Michael explained as his voice broke with almost every other words, expressing quickly and yet with a painful elegance, the situation at hand. Aubrey was crying with his father, not liking the words and not liking the image of the world without his mother.

"We have to get on a plane.... Get your sister and then go to your mother..." Michael said as he wrapped a hand around his shoulder and started to lead the crying and sobbing boy down the hallway.

"Is she going to live?" Aubrey questioned and Michael stopped and looked at Madeline. Michael bit his bottom lip and then forced out a brave smile.

"I hope so, Aubrey... I pray so..."

*

One of the beauties of retiring to tropical island, after years of barely seeing the sunlight was not the sun during the day. It was the beauty and tranquility that surrounded the rising and the parting of the sun. Sunset, more than anything else, seemed to put the soul to ease in ways that never before were known. The sky would stretch out as far as the eye could see on the glassy water, with barely a ripple. Nothing stopping the eye until it saw that spot, where the sun started to drop below, to say goodnight to you, in the most beautiful way.

On this night, the sunset was as beautiful as ever. The colors lightly hung in the air, as if they were trying to keep the sun there instead of showing it a fare farewell. There were only a few wispy clouds, but the tone seemed so much different. It almost reminded Paul of the old poem that had long been lost to his mind. The words weren't exact, but the meaning was there. "When skies are red in the evening... sailors take warning..." How bittersweet it was that the sky was a brilliant red when he moved to the window to view Mia, sprawled out on the beach, looking at the departing sun.

The breeze was almost cold against Paul's cheeks as he wiped away the evidence of feeling anything for Nikita. In the few moments that passed since the detailed and emotional phone call, where most of the time, Paul supported Madeline, he found himself crying. The former cranky and brash leader of Section One was crying over the woman that was the constant thorn in his side, also providing more reasons for him to hate her, but in a way, gave him reasons to love her.

The fact was Mia was sulking on the beach. Her legs were out in front of her, allowing the water to lap against them with each gently and easy wave that floated in. Her hands were deep into the white sand as she leaned back, staring out to the ocean, wondering about how she got to this point. Her sunglasses were still lowered on her eyes, as the sun was still very bright as it only now was starting to disappear.

Operations slowly arrived at her side and sat down next to her, not able to say a word at first. He had complained about this chore, in telling Mia, about he couldn't find a flaw in the thinking. Mia had exhibited a harsh feeling to both parents now and that was unacceptable in everyone's books. Operations turned his head and looked at Mia as she tried not to notice the man.

"Mia... we have to talk," Operations stated in an ominous tone that rang every bone in her body. Mia tried to ignore it, hoping that it would go away. She leaned her head back and looked at him before turning to look at the silent ocean that stretched in front of her.

"Pish-posh... No reason to talk to me... I'm not going home," Mia stated out as she shook her black hair back and forth. Operations dropped his head and looked to her heads deep within the sand. They were moving almost nervously; showing that she wasn't in control of what she felt was going on. She was frightened and Operations was sure that this wasn't going to help. This could become violent.

"Mia... this isn't about going home," Operations pronounced with a deep voice that echoed some emotion to it. He heard the emotion and he turned his face to look at Mia. Her head had turned to view him, through her long bangs. She had heard the emotion also.

"What's going on?" Mia questioned as she pulled her hands out of the sand and placed them together on her lap. Operations looked to her hands and reached for them and placed them on his own lap. He rubbed at the knuckles as he thought about a million ways to start this conversation.

"It's about your mother, Mia," Operations started and then stopped. Mia was trying to pull her hands away, in protest. She had no concept of what he was about to tell her, and how he needed Mia just to sit there and listen. There was nothing he could do right now. He was losing control of the situation and he hoped to draw Mia back with words alone.

"I don't want to talk about her."

"You have too... something important is happening..."

"Something important is always happening!" Mia shouted as she pushed her sunglasses off and placed them on her head. The world seemed to have lightened more than just what was being hidden by the dark lenses. She turned her face to witness her Pappap's face and stopped as she saw the movement in them. In ways, the blueness that was there was like the tiny ripples that would be the waves of the ocean. She focused on them and noticed quickly that they hit the beach of his eyelids and started to spill over.

Mia never saw her Pappap cry.

"What?" Mia questioned and Operations closed his eyes and reached for Mia's hand again. He picked up the repetitious behavior of rubbing the knuckles. It was more soothing to him than it was too Mia, yet Operations did not know that. But it gave him a focus point at the time, as everything else seemed to be swirling around him.

"Your mother is very sick," Operations stated. He turned to look at Mia as she blinked her eyes a few times, stubbornly trying to hold onto her anger that she had at her mother. Operations stared into the violet eyes, seeing that she still continued to wear the contacts that she did not need.

"It's probably the flu or something. You aren't going to get me to go back to find my mom perfectly healthy!" Mia finally shouted out in firm words, expressing something that Operations might have tried several years ago, when Mia was a young girl.

It was when Operations turned his head away from his granddaughter that she began to realize that he was telling the truth. Mia started to get a sense that he meant more than just sick and she started to sway from side to side, getting sick to her stomach.

"She has cancer," Operations swallowed out, as he couldn't even look at Mia. There was no noise, no seagulls flying above. There wasn't even the sound of the waves breaking into the beach and no water came up and kissed the legs that were extended deep into the wet sand.

"She has cancer, Mia," Operations verbalized with the sorrow he was certainly experiencing with the news himself. Operations didn't want to know when this all happened to him, he didn't want to know when he started to care for Nikita, because now it didn't matter. What matter was that he did care?

"No.... She can't...." Mia started to cry out and Operations nodded his head up and down as he reached for her. She pulled away, swiping the tears away from her face. For minutes all she could do was sit there, pushing the tears from side to side like a windshield wiper on a car, without finding the words to speak.

"No... you said that to make me worry.... To give me a lesson...." Mia cried out and then moaned as Operations stoically stared at her. She knew she was grasping at anything in order not to look at the truth. She didn't want to see the truth. The truth hurt her.

"Mia..." Operations softly muttered as he tried to reach for her, but the young teenager pulled away, still shaking her in denial. The words hurt her soul and her heart. All the love that she had been forgetting about, because she was mad at her mother for her extended absence was back, like it was never gone. Mia loved her mother more than she really wanted too.

"Is she going to die?" Mia finally questioned and Operations couldn't move. He didn't have that answer. The situation that Madeline had described didn't sound good, as Nikita was making death impending with her behavior. All of that could change, and Nikita may fight and still end up losing the battle.

"I hope not, Mia. She is too special," Operations barely said but Mia heard him. She looked at his face, seeing more tears on them and started to rub her neck.

"No.. This isn't happening... MY MOM!" Mia lashed out, hating the situation and then words. Operations tried to reach for her again, to rub the young, confused teenager's shoulders, but again, she pulled away from his touch.

"Mia... she needs you... and your family ..." Operations lamented as he pulled back, promising himself that he had to wait for Mia to reach for him. He wanted to comfort her so much, but Mia wasn't ready for that. She was still angry at the news and she was still hurting at the announcement. Her life that was on a roller coaster before was now in a full out tailspin. Operations wanted to provide some balance, but Mia was determined right now to try this on her own. He had to allow her to do so.

"What kind does she have?" Mia questioned, as her head did not cease the movement from left to right. Operations leaned back in the sand and looked at Mia from a bit more distance as she sat erect in the sand, probably not noticing the bittersweet surroundings.

"Breast."

"Oh god.... I'm going to get sick too! I'm going to die like Mom is!" Mia screamed out in a panic and Operations looked around and swallowed. He grabbed for the girl, seeing the hysteria was not going to do any good. He rocked back and forth as Mia clung to him like she was that little six-year-old he had fallen in love with.

"Mia... we can't think that way... We have to believe that your mother is going to get better..." Operations stated and Mia continued to pound her heavily flowing tears into Operations' somber Bermuda shirt. He didn't cease his actions as it didn't seem to be giving Nikita comfort, but it was giving Operations comfort.

""This isn't happening...... this isn't..." Mia sobbed louder and louder to his shirt. He looked down as Mia opened her mouth to scream, but ended up leaning that open mouth to his shoulder and just sobbing. The pain was so great in this girl, who truly loved her mother.

"I have to go to her... I have to see her... Be with her..." Mia said as she struggled, trying to break free from Operations' grasp. Yet, he held tightly, as Mia wasn't providing to be much of a fight. She fell back into his arms, with more tears, as they were endless at this moment in time.

"Mia... listen to me...." Operations rasped out, but saw that the only thing she heard now was her own tears and her own pain. There was nothing else that was going to get to Mia. He had to wait it out. Operations was stranded, rocking Mia back and forth on the beach, until her tears slowed at least to the point were she could hear his words.

"Mia... please..." Operations softly whispered as Mia started to hiccup the painful sobs. She looked up with her green eyes, obviously having cried out her contacts and he rubbed the tears away from her eyes. The makeup had left a long trail of black down her cheeks.

"Your father is coming to get you... He has Aubrey and you'll meet Walter in the hospital that your mom is in," Operations explained and Mia meekly nodded her head as she closed her eyes again. She turned slightly, pulling away from the hugging embraced, but not pulling totally away from her Pappap's arms.

"Pappap... is that why she has been gone such a long time?" Mia softly voiced and Operations nodded his head. He blinked and saw Mia trembling again.

"Mia... you have to be brave... Your mother is very weak and she needs you to be brave..." Operations explained and Mia dropped her head down to his lap and moved in heaving sobs.

"I'm not brave! I can't be!" Mia exclaimed in such utter torture that Operations swallowed his own pain back from the wailing sound.

"Yes... you can... because you are like your mother...." Operations firmly defined and Mia continued to shake her head. Operations reached for her, trying to bring Mia up from his lap, to reposition her so he knew that she was hearing him.

"She is strong...." Mia claimed out and then stopped. Operations blinked his eyes, as he knew what Mia didn't want to say. She thought that Nikita wasn't brave, which was a stunning and wild miscalculation on Nikita's daughter's part.

"She is very brave.... But you don't know about those things...." Operations said as he pulled Mia up and finally she clung onto his check. He felt the tears rippling down his chest and stomach as they soaked the material of his skin. He didn't care at this point.

"You are a product of your mother's braveness.... She wasn't suppose to... she wasn't allowed to have children..." Operations started to explain. He didn't know why he was propelled into telling Mia the story of her mother. It was the store of his downfall, but it was the story of how bravery saved Nikita and her family.

"What?" Mia questioned and Operations gently soothed Mia's hair and swallowed.

"Just listen.... Your mother went right to George and declared that you were going to be born and who your father was.... She was very strong... but most importantly, brave. She was brave to take care of you for years before your dad came back... right?" Operations said slowly as Mia's tears were at least starting to slow down. He felt the gently up and down nodding of Mia's head and he licked his lips.

"She changed things... and she did it so quietly.... The bravery you think of is like going out and battling a dragon.. the bravery your mother has is so much different..." Operations said and Mia looked to him and sobbed.

"But I will cry when I see her! That isn't being brave!" Mia shouted and then dropped her head. Operations pushed at the black hair and lifted her head. He viewed her face as he wiped at the tears and then pulled his hand away.

"That isn't being weak... that is being very brave... If you go to her... that is bravery... Running away... that is being a coward," Operations spoke out with a deep voice that seemed to ring true in Mia's heart and soul.

"I will try to be brave for my mother," Mia declared with the tears strolling down her face. Mia started to attempt to pull herself together and Operations hugged her again.

"She'll heal just seeing you..." Operations stated and Mia pulled away and looked around.

"I'm going to hurt her!" Mia sobbed out as the tears started to flow again, never entirely gone. Operations crooked his head to the side and studied Mia.

"Look at me!" Mia finally said as she tugged at her black hair. Operations had hoped that Mia would come to the sense of her appearance after he broke the news to her. He had called for a hairstylist. He stood up and brushed the sand off of his clothing, allowing Mia to look at her hair and realize what she had done. He reached a hand out for her as the sun slipped underneath the horizon, not to be seen until the morning.

"Come.... There are some material things like hair.. That can be changed.... Although it isn't necessary to do this.... It will help your mother to accept all of your love..." Operations stated and Mia looked at him and stopped.

"She can't die." Mia stated and Operations blinked his eyes.

"I don't think you, your brother, or your father are going to allow that to happen." Operations declared as he started to walk up the beach, holding Mia's hand tightly. Not much had changed since she was six years old. She swung that hand back and forth like always. The same Mia as back then.

*

"DADDY!!! DADDY!!!" Mia cried out the scream as she opened the door at the car that had stopped in front of the house. She ran down the sidewalk as Michael stepped out to look at a girl he was sure was gone. Her hair was slightly cut and back to the blonde color. Her voice sounded like she was a little girl again, not the bad tempered and free spirited Mia that had run away.

"Mia!" Michael rasped out as he clung onto her and picked her up into the air, even thought she was only a mere inch small than him. He held her tightly and rubbed her hair, crying alone with his daughter.

"Daddy...." Mia continued to sob, not wanting to let go of him. She felt so good in his arms, it had been too long since she had hugged her dad. She hadn't hugged her mother in a longer time. That thought brought more glistening tears into her eyes.

Operations stepped out onto the front porch and looked at the reunion. Michael allowed Mia down to the ground and stroked at her hair. Mia held onto her father's hand, not wanting to leave his side, finding the strength to be brave as Operations had suggested.

"Oh, Mia.... I don't know.... Oh Mia..." Michael said as he closed his eyes and then swallowed. He hugged her lightly to his body while he tried to pull his emotions again. For one second he had them, and then next it was gone. He touched her hair and smiled happily at the thoughtful gesture.

"I didn't think mom needed change..." Mia cried out as she attempted to explain. Michael kissed her forehead and nodded his own head. He was trying to contain his own tears. He didn't need his children seeing him weak.

"I appreciate it..." Michael softly whispered and Mia nodded her head and looked at her dad as she squeezed his hand.

"I think w shouldn't mention that it was black to mom for a while... ok, Daddy?" Mia questioned and Michael bobbed his head up and down, not caring when Nikita found out about the hair. Mia had changed it back, which was going to be something that Michael didn't have to worry about.

"And the rings... they are gone... I got rid of them..." Mia continued and Michael looked up the porch. He saw that Operations was ready to go to Section One himself. Michael needed to speak with the man before he left. Again, he kissed Mia's head and blinked his eyes.

"Aubrey is in the car, Mia... Can you get in? We will be leaving soon." Michael said and Mia nodded her head and opened the door. Michael listened to the siblings crying together. He didn't turn around, he stepped forward, heading towards Operations.

"I must thank..."

"No, Michael. That is not necessary," Operations interrupted and Michael dropped his head lightly. Operations stepped forward and placed a hand on Michael's shoulder. "This is too difficult to do by yourself... Do you want me to send Madeline?"

"No... Walter is there." Michael stated with no emotion in his voice. Operations knew that it was partly a defense that Michael was placing on himself before he saw Nikita.

"You saw her before?" Operations questioned and Michael nodded his head. Yet, he was silent, not saying one word to Operations. "You are going to have to tell them how she looked.... It will be easier."

"Nothing is going to make this easier." Michael crudely stated and Operations bowed his head. Michael was correct. Whatever those kids were expecting to see, was not going to be what they saw. No matter how many times they imagined their mother sick, this was not going to match that image. Their reaction was something that Michael didn't want to think about.

"Michael... I'm heading back to Section One now..."

"Please take care of it." Michael stated in a soft voice and Operations frowned. After all this time, Michael was still afraid that Paul was going to come in there and try to change things back. He wouldn't last three minutes if he tried that. For as much as he was concerned, he was only there in case there was an emergency.

"Michael... about Nikita..."

"Paul.. don't push it.. I know your feelings." Michael stated as he turned to view the car. That was when Michael turned and looked at Paul's face. There was definitely something different there. Suddenly, it washed over Michael's system. That Paul actually cared about Nikita.

"Never take one opinion on a surgery as this. Get a second, a third or a fourth opinion... And if you don't trust those, get a Section One opinion." Operations warned and Michael looked back to the car and shivered. The older man stepped up and touched Michael's shoulder.

"If he is right... the cancer may spread before we get another consult." Michael stated sadly.

"Then go with Section right away... but the question should be, what if they are wrong?" Operations stated as he walked down the sidewalk to the car. He opened the door and hugged his grandson, who was pleased to see his grandfather.

Michael was frozen, thinking those words over and over again. It was advice, he didn't have to follow it. Yet, Michael was sure that he would remember those words for sometime to come. Michael hurried back to the car.

"We have to go, Paul." Michael stated as he touched the older man's back. He pulled back and nodded his head.

"Good luck, Michael." Paul said and Michael closed his eyes.

"We might need more than that." Michael said as he stepped into the car. Operations watched as they pulled away and his car pulled up.

Operations bowed his head and started to do something that was more powerful than luck. He stood there for solid minutes before unfolding his hands and stepping into his own car to go back to Section One and assume that power that was all Michael's.

*

The stern metal doors closed in front of the shell-shocked family as they huddled close to each other in the rising elevator. It was slow moving, each floor taking forever. The children were close to their father, wrapped within his arms as he stared at the numbers.

2

"Dad.... Mom is bald, right?" Mia questioned carefully and Michael took one long breath. Yet, it wasn't a deep one. It was shallow, like the air that he took in escaped from his lungs without exhaling. He felt numb, even as he held his children. He had to be the rock.

3

"Yes, Mia. She is bald." Michael stated as he dropped his drooping eyes, rimmed in a painful red from a lack of sleep, since the time he found out about the cancer, and the endless tears that he had struggled to reign control over when he found out the spreading of the horrid disease.

"Isn't it past visitor's hours?" Aubrey softly questioned and Michael leaned his head back and looked up at the electric numbers again. He squeezed Aubrey's shoulder a bit more, knowing that his young son was doing a good job holding up. He even had been supportive of Mia, when she just couldn't function on the plane.

4

"Yes... but your mother's nurse, Norma, has made special arrangements for us... because she really needs us." Michael responded without looking at his children. He had seen their tears during the hours on the plane, each one trying to focus on the good when the other was focusing on the bad. Both of them being there for each other, but leaving Michael out of the loop. Asking him question after question that he just didn't know the answers too.

"Dad..." Aubrey softly said as he raised his head and looked up his father's drawn face. Michael forced himself to drop his face and look at his son.

"Yes?"

"Why does mom needs us now when she didn't need us before?" Aubrey solidly questioned and Michael shut his eyes. The same question was circling through his head. The explanation was something beyond Mia and Aubrey. Something that was there before Michael even knew Nikita. That she was stubborn, and she had specific ideas on what a mother and wife should be. Michael deeply believed that Nikita had a concept that her illness should not be a concern of the family.

5

"I don't know, Aubrey... But what matters now is that she needs us." Michael stated as he searched for a cold spot on his body. He was so worried about this. He worried that Nikita would reject the children, that she would send them away like she did with him. That would just hurt everyone and no one would have a chance for a decent life.

"Are we sure?" Mia questioned out and Michael swallowed. He couldn't allow his children to see that he doubted the actions that were going to happen. A weakness now would scare the children, making it that so much harder for them to look at their mother. Michael trembled as he saw Nikita's body in his mind again. He wasn't even sure that the children would recognize her.