Yet, once they moved, they weren't going to take any chances. The first one took the machine gun that had been used in smacking her rear and slammed it deep into her chest. Nikita gasped as she felt the cracking of her ribs. Nikita dropped her legs and the other guard moved to grab her legs as they grabbed a chain to tie them together with.

"We want you to hurt.... Stupid woman..." The guard stated as he took his hands and turned Nikita's right ankle quickly to the left, popping and cracking occurring like gunfire. Nikita moaned, she wouldn't scream, in pain. He tied the chain tightly around the broken ankle and tied it to the other leg. He didn't realize that it would still give Nikita too much room to move around in. He dropped her legs to the ground.

"If we allowed you to talk, we would have said so," The guard stated as he moved down to Nikita. He spat on her face and then threw his fist into Nikita's face. Nikita felt the searing pain, but vowed herself not to react. She lay there as it felt as if a bowling ball had caved in one half of her face. He pulled his hand away and punched at her jaw.

"I wonder if that girl would think you are a super hero now..." He laughed out as he turned and left the room. Nikita looked around, feeling the pounding pain everywhere in her body. She wouldn't allow her thoughts to stay there long, looking and searching for anything to help her position.

What Nikita had always been able to use for her advantage was her creative problem solving and using what the terrorists made in their mistakes. They left the bodies of the guards that Nikita had killed in the room with her. One had a gun still in his hand.

Nikita started to move her legs, feeling the throbbing from the ankle that was shattered. She tried not to pay attention to how limply her foot hung to the bottom of her leg. She turned her body onto the side, feeling the ribs that were certainly broken also, rub roughly together. Nikita could only hope that the bone didn't poke through to her lungs. She waited and pulled her legs apart, finding the task tedious.

Slowly, Nikita was able to nudge the gun out of the guard's hand. She settled it into the crook of her knee and started to pull with her strong stomach muscles the gun to her hands that were attached to the wall behind her. Every movement should have brought tears to her face, but there was right now, no pain. She had amazingly been able to detach from the pain. She felt the gun in her hands and smiled.

Quickly, she shot one round into the wall and then aimed the gun to the door. She would only have four shots. She waited, as the door slammed open, she took the first man down with one shot, to the head. The next two men rushed her at the same time. She got two rounds off in the one man, maybe not fatally wounding him, but putting him down with two critical wounds. The last bullet was pushed away from the man as he slammed his foot into the hand that Nikita was holding the gun in. She felt more pain pour over her body, the arm crumbling along with the wrist and the gun flying away from her. The man turned and motioned for more guards.

They took turns pounding her face, but Nikita could tell that they had been given orders not to kill her. They were going to use her capture to make Michael make a move. Too bad that Section One was already about a hundred steps ahead of them. They took a chain from Nikita's feet and hooked it to the wall. It wasn't tight and Nikita still had a range of motion, enough though Nikita would not show the men that she knew that. She would wait to see how far she could move.

Nikita gasped and closed her eyes; feeling like her head was a punching bag. The last man chuckled as he closed the door. Nikita lifted her eyes and waited. She didn't have to react immediately, there was still time before John and his men would start moving into the location and more time for the explosives to rock the building.

"One... two... three... four..." Nikita said out in her head, unable to move her head much. She just needed to think of anything that wasn't based on the pain that she was feeling. Nikita continued to watch the door, realizing that there were four bodies in the room, the guards had left the wounded man to bleed to death in the room with Nikita.

"One... two... three... four..." Nikita chanted in her head, feeling the pain even from thinking. Yet, she had to stay awake, she had to make her position here better. She couldn't even think of closing her eyes. She knew her injuries and knew that sleep was not an option.

This was a battle and she was going to win. She looked to the door, staring at the surface, wondering if they left a guard outside her door or not. She wondered how John was reacting to the punishment he heard Nikita receiving. As long as the plan continued as Nikita had outlined, all should go as planned.

"Michael... Mia... Aubrey... Danielle.... Danielle... Aubrey... Mia... Michael..." Nikita now thought about, finding those images much easier to stay awake for. They were the reason why Nikita was there now.

*

There was a tension in the room at Oversight. It was very well known that Section One had found some sort of power to wield against Oversight and the heads of the other Sections stared at Michael. Most thought this was a hostile take-over, until Michael sighed when he saw the profile. He only closed his eyes for a few brief seconds before demanding a better link to Section One.

Which he got. No questions asked.

Only a few people knew about Madeline being half Oversight and half Section One, but the ones who knew that, could feel that this wasn't Madeline's handy work. She was into psychological terror and games; she wouldn't have manhandled the men of Oversight like this.

"Michael..." John's voice broke through the room. Michael lifted his head from the computer screen and stared at the people staring at him. It was an impossible situation to be in and to stay calm, and to everyone, he was calm. None of them knew the details of what was going on in Section One, at least, Michael didn't think so. No one knew how much danger Nikita was in at this very moment.

"I'm ten minutes away from the sequencing of the second phase of the plan, Michael... But we have to talk," John stated. He was unable to give a visual screen to Michael, which was fine. Michael knew that he was on sight. Something didn't feel well at all and Michael looked behind his back. There were four more Section One operatives that joined the initial group that had stayed.

"Is Nikita taken?" Michael questioned and he heard the gasp in the room. Michael didn't even give the gasp a notice as he stared at his computer. There had been very little information about Nikita's position and what she had been able to do thus far.

"Yes," John replied.

"Has she been injured?" Michael quickly snapped.

"Yes... but that is not our concern.... Michael, we have a mole..." John announced and Michael sat up straight and swallowed. He looked around the room; all the eyes seemed to have narrowed onto him. He hit eyes with Poloski before he blinked his eyes once. He dropped his eyes from all the heads of the Section, wondering if his eyes would expose something because he was thinking about how bad Nikita was going to be.

"Inside of Section One?" Michael finally inquired. There was a pause and Michael looked over his shoulder. The number of Section One operatives had just doubled outside the door. Michael nodded them to enter the room; in fact, it secured the room, one Section One operative for every head of other Sections.

"At first we believed that to be so, but with some checking... through our files and what we know of Lee Hung, the mole appears to be from Section Seven," John announced and Michael threw his eyes at the older woman who sat at the table. She dropped her head and closed her eyes. He could tell from the reaction that it was true.

Yet, it didn't feel right. Section Seven was lucky enough to know that Michael was married. The type of information that Lee Hung had gotten his hands on was too personal. Someone knew too much about Nikita.

"Is that all?" Michael questioned. He saw the Section One operative poke at the woman with the gun. She raised her hands and placed them on the table in front of her. Michael blinked his eyes. She was being loyal to someone, someone in this very room.

"We've been going through all of Section Seven's files... we have communication with one other head of a Section..." John stated and Michael swallowed and dropped his head. He folded his hands and placed his elbows on the table. Slowly Michael leaned forward and started to study all of the remaining people. Someone in there was betraying him, and he didn't really have to think about it.

"I know who it is John... There is only one person who could have done this.... Isn't that right Poloski?" Michael questioned as he turned his head to the right. To a man that he would have respected. The man opened his eyes, trying to protest and Michael stood up to get away from the man.

"I wouldn't have guessed right off... We may have waited for a couple hours until we found out... But then... I thought, you knew that something was going on at Section One... the only way you knew about that if that was information you requested for your panel...." Michael stated and Poloski dropped his head. Michael looked around the room, seeing that more than enough problems were going to be solved on this day.

"So, I guess you have been able to contact Lee Hung and he isn't at the warehouse?" Michael stated and Poloski dropped his head again. Michael leaned into the man and pulled at his head. He looked into the eyes and the pushed him away.

"Sir, I'm going to have to leave..." John stated and Michael looked around the room. He started to type, getting a link to Birkoff immediately.

"John, what is your assignment?" Michael inquired quickly; looking at his watch, seeing that the sequencing was going to be starting soon.

"I am to find Lee Hung," John responded.

"Change that. Lee Hung has been warned and isn't on sight... Your task, your only job is to get Nikita out of there, Do you understand?" Michael questioned as he started to hear the further Section One noise of a mission about to begin.

"Fully," John stated and disconnected. Michael looked to the woman that was the head of Section Seven.

"Mr. Birkoff, are you there?" Michael questioned as he walked around the table. He placed a hand on the older woman's shoulder and felt her shiver. It was good to be known as a ruthless leader. He looked to Poloski and nodded for two more guards to be near him.

"Yes, Michael? Is this going to take long.. I have about fifty explosions about to happen in four minutes?" Birkoff questioned immediately. Michael smiled. He could do this all by himself, or he could just be ruthless. He wanted to do things correctly though.

"Section Seven... What do their operatives compare to ours?" Michael questioned as he moved the guard out of the way. The woman gasped, as Michael's other large hand clamped down on her shoulder. Michael grinned a bit. Section One was in a mess because two leaders of Sections wanted to hurt Michael and Section One. It was time to reestablish the power in this little group.

Even if Michael had to do the extreme.

"They would all be abeyance at best, I think most of them would have been cancelled," Birkoff stated and Michael leaned over the woman, pressing her stomach into the table.

"Destroy Section Seven... Instructions to incinerate," Michael ordered. Birkoff only followed directions. He had been helping John with the mole and knew that Michael would have to do something.

"And Section Two?" Michael questioned and Poloski's eyes expanded. Michael moved away from the old leader of Section Seven, who would be taken back to Section One and cancelled after some torture. Michael had ruthlessly got rid of an entire Section.

"You can't destroy Section Two! They aren't going to allow you!" Poloski hollered and the two guards poked him with the guns. Michael looked around and then lifted his head.

"Birkoff?"

"They have some fine operatives, Michael..." Birkoff warned. Michael looked down at Section Two's impending missions and swallowed.

"I want you to send out our operatives after they get Nikita and those children back... I want all of Section Seven's living survivors that weren't inside, killed... And I want to see if Section Two will come willing to us, to be our substation... Whatever operatives want to argue with us... cancel them," Michael ordered and there was the typing of Birkoff's hands.

"That will be done when we get more operatives in, Michael," Birkoff stated and Michael smiled and looked at Poloski.

"Is Madeline there to do some debriefings?" Michael questioned and the leader of Section Seven broke down into sobs. Michael looked at the operative and nodded his head. He pulled the woman up and then looked into her eyes.

"I think you were used..." Michael stated to the older woman. "There is no reason to torture her... take her outside and cancel her," Michael ordered the guard. He pulled at the woman as she stared at Poloski as she left.

"You aren't so lucky... I think Madeline likes men like you," Michael stated and he looked to his watch.

"Birkoff... push the cycle back five minutes..." Michael stated and he waited. He rounded the table again to look at Poloski, wondering what the man was thinking he was doing. He looked to the other heads of Sections.

"You thought you were going to get away with this... That is why you arranged for this meeting to just happen at the last moment... If Michael is away from home... Nikita can't hack it?" Michael questioned and Poloski shrugged his shoulders.

"Nikita isn't you, Michael," Poloski stated quickly and Michael nodded his head. He knew that Nikita wasn't him. That was the point. What as the use of having two operatives exactly the same, there would be nothing creative in the missions and the enemy would learn what Section One's style was.

"She isn't me... and because she isn't me, We are going to get rid of Black Death... The only other Section that ever knew of Black Death was you... I have a feeling that you probably put Lee Hung in contact with him... Why?" Michael inquired, still not pushing his hands around the neck of the man. He had used his knowledge of Nikita and Michael's support to almost overthrow Section One. It was a bad attempt at the least. He did underestimate Nikita, like everyone did.

"Michael... cycle pushed back five minutes, but we can't wait any longer," Birkoff stated and Michael nodded his head as he cocked it to the side.

"You think you always win..." Poloski hissed and Michael looked around and swallowed.

"Looks that way... I don't lose," Michael warned and Poloski swallowed in that instance. He knew that Michael could kill him, but in that second Poloski saw that Michael had weeks of torture planned for him. He would probably be given to Madeline to toy with over and over again with.

"You think you control the world!" Poloski finally yelled. Michael looked down to his hands and rubbed them together.

"I control Section One... I know that I can't control the world... I can't control things like my daughter almost becoming paralyzed in an accident... I can't control that Nikita had cancer... But I control Section One... and that is going to be the only Section standing," Michael said as he turned and faced the other leaders. One stood up; he was from Section Five. He quickly sat.

"You all have a choice.... In the next twenty-four hours you can either become a substation of Section One... and fall under my control... Or I will eliminate those people who aren't need... Or I can just do as I did to Section Seven... The choice is yours..." Michael stated and nodded to the guards. Michael moved out of the room, the guards dragging Poloski behind him.

So much for waiting to take over all of the Sections.

*

An internal clock inside of Nikita made her look around. She knew that soon the attack would be on. Something told her that it was pushed back and to wait. Now was the time for action. She groaned as she looked at what was around her. There was a guard that was kind of within her reach. Slowly, after studying his body, she found the keys that would release her hands.

Nikita started to move slowly, each movement bringing more and more pain to her body. She wanted to scream, but knew that not to be wise. She arched her body towards the body, trying to get her mouth so she could get the keys. She was half onto the body, but still out of reach of the keys.

The straining on her arms was immense. They wouldn't take much more stretch much further. Nikita felt the muscles pulling and the broken wrist screaming in the pain of rubbing more roughly against the handcuffs. She was so close to getting the keys, but yet so far.

"POP! POP!" Nikita bite on her lip violently as the pain shot through her arms. She had the extra few inches now; her shoulders had dislocated, at least. She pulled the keys out and struggled back to get her mouth near her hands. Nikita dropped the keys from her mouth and they sat on her chest.

Nikita cursed herself, as she wanted to closer her eyes. She knew that now was not the time for weakness and to allow the pain to win. It didn't matter how much pain she had; she wasn't in a good position for this attack to happen. Carefully, Nikita dropped her head, feeling the pain from the multiple contusions on her face radiating. She picked the keys up and finally got them into the good hand.

It wasn't an easy task once she got the keys into her hand. She had to find the right key. There were lots of small keys and she knew that time was running out. If she didn't free her hands by the time the explosions started to rumble the building; she wouldn't be able to defend herself. Nikita closed her eyes, feeling tears of frustration and pain boiling behind her eyelids. Nikita swallowed and waited. The key went in and turned.

Her hands were free.

John moved with the first team in, as they posed as Black Death. He looked around and waited. He looked to his watch, knowing that soon the entire attack would be going full strength. All ready the news was good. No Section One operatives were down and Michael had the situation at Oversight under control.

Walter was hidden in one of the Section One vans, ready with medical supplies and whatnot. He looked at the computer and started to flick the switches he needed to use. He hoped to god that Nikita did get these all up before she was caught, or with a flick of a switch, he may kill Nikita.

Nikita heard the explosion the roof as John started to attack the building. She held her breath, hearing the series of guns rattling and the small ball bombs exploding. Then there were children screaming. Nikita held her breath as the door to her chamber opened. The guard moved towards Nikita, but she was prepared. Her feet were still chained, but she pulled herself onto her knees and pulled the man down, snapping his neck and adding him to the pile.

She was getting weak and she gasped as the next guarded entered with his knife drawn. Nikita waited to long to duck and he cut the knife across her cheek. She winced in pain as she ducked the next time and grabbed the man's hand that had the knife with the hand that was broken. Using all of her strength, she pulled the man's hand around and stabbed him with his own knife and his own hand.

Nikita gasped as she heard the ticking. A ball bomb was too close to her room and she fell to the ground as it exploded. Nikita felt a metal sheet hit her back and she moaned as she ached to get to her feet, but her one leg just didn't feel like it was there.

"JOHN!" Danielle cried out as John saw the operatives that were moving the girls out in groups of ten. He was stunned by the word and stopped. He had to stop. Danielle ran to him and hugged him tightly. He felt her tears and swallowed, knowing that this had to be terrible and that something had forced her to talk.

"You are ok now..." John stated as he rubbed her back. The building was still a war zone of sorts. He needed to get her out of the building. She clung onto his black bulletproof vest. He pulled away and touched her face.

"Nikita..." Danielle said as she pointed towards the rooms. John nodded his head and swallowed. More than likely, if they go back in the video, Danielle screamed out when she first saw Nikita. Fear was a powerful motive for one to speak. He rubbed her head and licked his lips.

"I'm going to get her, Danielle.... You have to go with this man... and they'll take care of you..." John said and Danielle's face started to get littered with tears. John wiped at them as she looked at the room and tried to talk again. The emotions took her over and John closed his eyes.

"I promise, Danielle," John firmly said as he motioned for an operative to personally take care of Danielle. If he didn't have the direct order to get Nikita, he would have taken Danielle back to safety himself and then walked back in. That wasn't an option.

Nikita gasped, as there were three more guards in the room. She didn't know what was left on her body to break. She waited as the one man tried to attack her. He wrapped his arms around her chest and started to squeeze. Nikita swallowed and then dropped her head to his arm. Deeply she bit into his arm, shredding the skin. Nikita spat out the flesh and blood as he pulled away. She turned with rotating arms, even if they didn't feel like they were there, except for sensations of pain. Her fist connected with his face, but then there was a knee to her back.

If Nikita had been able to stand, had she been able to draw in a decent breath of air, the situation wouldn't be so bad. She was fighting with a world that was dimming on her and three men that wanted to destroy her the slow and old-fashioned way. Nikita dropped to her hands, feeling the pain from the ground hitting her wrist. She grunted and almost dropped to the ground defeated.

"Michael... Mia... Aubrey... Danielle..." Nikita's head shouted at her. If she dropped now, the end was going to happen. Nikita snapped her head up, and felt the kick to her chin. Yet, that wasn't going to stop her now. Giving up wasn't something in Nikita's system. She landed with her arm hitting the metal that had hit her back during the explosion. The one edge was extremely sharp.

The perfect weapon.

John stopped and pressed his body against the wall. All the rooms were like mazes, nothing easily being done. There were still members of the terrorists holding some of the rooms as strong holds and other operatives running around the building, in an attempt to find Nikita. There had been no sights of her or any sounds from her.

The constant gunfire wasn't helping either. One wouldn't hear the shouts of Nikita with it. Not that Nikita would shout. John turned the corner and stepped forward. He pulled the trigger and walked down the hallway, seeing that there was no bloodshed so far.

He stopped at a door and saw ten men, shaking. He started to pull his trigger to the machine gun. He had no time to even care if they were scared. He needed to find Nikita. That was all that he was assigned too do. John felt as if time was running out.

"Do we have Nikita?" Michael demanded over the units. John hissed and ignored the comment. He couldn't believe the length of this building. It didn't look this big from the outside.

"All the children are in and accounted for," Birkoff announced and John swallowed. They were safe; Nikita would be proud and happy. Now he had to find her to tell her that. John turned the corner and heard a metal slap.

"Nikita?" John called out, knowing in his heart that the noise was Nikita. He started to jog down the hallway, pulling at a dead guard's machine gun and moving quickly. It was almost like a video he had seen Michael do once. He didn't even stop to check. If someone was heading towards him as he was searching for Nikita, then they were the enemy. No one else in Section One was given the order to retrieve Nikita.

Nikita smacked the guard with the sharp edge and saw the blood squirt from the neck. Nikita gasped and swallowed, feeling the blood hit her body. She dropped the metal and tried to stand up on her legs, now that there was not a guard left to stop her. It was beyond possible. Not only was her leg weak, her entire body was weak. She didn't even get half way up, as the world turned black around her.

"Nikita!" John called out as he saw Nikita fall to the side, limp.

"I have her, Michael... I need that medical van pulled as close to the front door as it can get..." John stated as he dropped the guns and touched Nikita, almost afraid to find that she had used the last of her strength. But her pulse was there, beating wildly. Nikita moaned and looked up at John.

"The kids?" Nikita questioned and three operatives ran to the door and protected the area. There was no way they were going to get a stretcher into the room and he needed to evacuate as soon as possible.

"Teams are planting explosives..." Birkoff reported and John hissed. He wanted to do this the correct way, but there was no way. He moved and pulled at the chains. He pulled out the wire and cut them away quickly. Nikita fluttered her eyes again.

"Nikita... this is going to hurt... but you'll be fine..." John spoke and Nikita opened her eyes and stared at John.

"Don't worry about me... take care of Mia..." Nikita stated and her head rolled back. John's eyes bugged out, not liking the statement. It was like Nikita had just given up. He pressed his hand to her neck, still feeling her pulse. Her breathing was horrendous, but that was from the broken ribs he was sure that Nikita had. But he had no other option. He picked her up in his arms like he would have carried a child and started out of the room, soon surrounded by five operatives, only to be joined with ten more at the stairs.

They all knew that Nikita had just completed the impossible.

Operatives down? One.

*

The procession quickly moved towards the van. Birkoff was sputtering about the impossibility of the numbers he was running. There were some minor injuries such as sprained ankles and some bullets that nicked the arms. Some operatives would have bruises from the bullets that hit the bulletproof vest, but no one was seriously injured.

But Nikita.

John walked through the warehouse. The operatives wanted to hurry him up, but he felt the importance of holding Nikita in his arms. There was no time to hurry. Hurrying might cause more pain to Nikita. That was not needed in this situation. He saw the light from the headlights of the van outside of the door that operatives smashed open.

The devotion for Nikita was seen. These operatives weren't only doing this because of what Michael ordered. They were doing this because they cared for Nikita. More than cared for Nikita. They respected her and realized the talent and life that she did have. The operatives could now have a life because of Nikita and no one was lost by that thought.

The door was pulled open for John and he stepped up carefully. Before he even placed Nikita down on the bed that was waiting for her, the order was given to rush. The drive back to Section was still a good distance off. A bad weather front was moving in and Michael ordered that air evacuation was too dangerous.

John turned and pulled off his coat as Walter started to move towards the stretcher. He grabbed at the neck brace and looked, as Nikita was casually placed off to the side a bit. The van moved quickly, there was still some gun battles going around on the outside, but that wasn't the worry.

"We need to turn her around... brace her neck..." Walter stated and John only started to pull on the rubber gloves and then threw the box at Walter, indicating that he should do the same. John had more than adequate training in medical. He picked it up easily and was able to start making assessments, but worried about saying anything too much. Michael was sure to still be listening.

"How is she?" Michael's voice nagged at John. He looked to Walter and pulled out the communications unit. He couldn't be distracted now. Nikita needed him. He pulled at the oxygen tank, knowing that once they got her turned onto her back and the next brace on, that oxygen was easy. All knew that Nikita had broken ribs.

"Ok... Walter... we got to roll her..." John stated and Walter took his hands and placed them at Nikita's ears, steadying her neck, hoping for no more damage. He didn't get a real good look at Nikita when John hurried into the van. They were still bouncing around pretty good and John snapped the neck brace on.

Walter immediately grabbed a pad of gauze and placed it over the gash that was on Nikita's face and started to apply the direct pressure. John stepped back and swallowed. There was so much that needed to be done. He looked at Nikita's eyes as he checked her pulse and breathing. She was having problems with the breathing. John could only hope that with all the moving around that had been required to get her to the van as quickly as possible that they didn't cause more damage. They didn't need a punctured lung now.

"Oh my god... Look at that ankle..." Walter gasped out as he looked to the shoe that was bent to the right hand side, more than ninety degrees. John swallowed and grabbed a pillow and some ace bandages quickly. He dropped the supplies down near the ankle. He pulled out his long knife and looked at the boot that surrounded Nikita's leg and foot. He pulled it away from the flesh, hearing no reaction from Nikita. She was definitely deeply into her unconscious.

"Just splint it..." Walter hissed and John shook his head and started to cut the thick leather. It was going to have to come off sooner or later. With the kind of break it was, if he waited much longer, the circulation was never going to be restored fully enough to save the foot. That was the important matter now. John knew that Walter turned his head to the side, as John cut. He cut the leather down to the heel and then started to cut to the foot. In the end, the shoe popped off, as the swelling started, as it should have been. He wrapped the pillow around the foot.

"Walter... open that ace bandage... and start rolling it around this..." John said as he pulled the pillow up, supporting the ankle. Walter pulled at the wrapping and moved his hand away from Nikita's still bleeding face. He wrapped until John tugged the ace bandage away from him.

"We need ice..." John said as he looked over his shoulder at the one operative that was with them. He moved quickly as John started to look at Nikita's body. There were lots of bruises and contusions, but they could wait for a little bit. He saw her wrist next. Only, it was more than just her wrist. The arm had to have fractured further up in the forearm. He pulled at another pillow and noticed the grimace as he pulled Nikita's arm up. It was hard to see it, with Nikita's face distorted with various injuries.

He briefly looked at her shoulders. It was hard to tell, everything with Nikita had been injured, but he was sure that there had been injury to them too. John placed the wrist into the pillow and started to wrap it up in the pillow splint like he had with Nikita's ankle.

"Oh Nikita..." Walter gasped out, pulling at more gauze, replacing the old. He couldn't even think of a place to touch her that didn't hurt. Her entire face was a maze of dips that where there should be raises and massive swelling where there should have been smoothness.

"Here is the ice..." the operative stated as he handed over the two ice packs. John held them into his hand and stared at the operative.

"This is all?" John questioned and the operative nodded his head. John looked to Walter and sighed. He placed one on the ankle and then looked to the other one. He couldn't make this decision and he placed it down on the wrist, going to switch it with Nikita's face in five minutes.

"This bleeding isn't stopping..." Walter hissed as he felt the tears falling from his face. He heard Nikita's breathing getting a bit worse and watched as John turned the oxygen up a little bit. John nodded Walter to go sit down and placed his hand on the cut on Nikita's face.

"Face wounds always bleed a lot..." John matter-of-factly stated as he looked at Nikita. Her one eye was almost swollen shut now. He looked to the clock on the back of the driver's door. They had at least an hour still to drive until they got into the medical hands of Section One.

"And I think Michael mentioned something about there still being some effects of the chemotherapy..." Walter said as he looked up. The old man wasn't use to seeing Nikita like this. This was so different from seeing her sick with cancer and the effects of the chemotherapy. This was something that Nikita almost willingly let the captors do, for the sake of Danielle. Walter dropped his head.

"Is she going to make it?" Walter questioned and John shook his head. Walter really thought that Nikita was very critical. The fact was, other than the little bit of anemia that was causing the wound to Nikita's face not to clot that quickly, she was very lucky. It was probably a blessing that she was not awake at this point, she would have been in too much pain and they wouldn't have been able to give her anything for the pain.

"Yes, Walter..." John stated and the old man stood up. He started to rummage through the cabinets of medical supplies. John didn't see the need for anything else but more ice. He pulled the ice off of the wrist and lightly draped a thin towel over the one side of Nikita's face. He placed the ice down and held it. The road was bumpy and the ice pack would have fallen off he John didn't hold it on.

"I'm going to start an IV..." Walter stated and John pulled at the ice and dropped it to the wrist. Walter was panicking. He was seeing things that weren't really occurring in the situation. John took the IV fluid out of Walter's hand and pushed him to the seat. He closed the cabinet and sighed.

"It's too bumpy of a road... She isn't bleeding too much... We'll let the professionals do it when we get into Section..." John stated and he turned back towards Nikita. There was one thing that they needed and John sighed. He walked to the door of the driver and opened it.

Walter moved to Nikita's side again, afraid still of what he could touch. He was not fooling the other operative; Walter wanted to know what was going on. He heard discussion of time and then John clapping his hand on the paneling of the van.

"I don't care! Stop at the next store. I'll go in for the ice myself!" John shouted and slammed the door closed. Walter looked at John and he stood near the door. He didn't care about the blood on his black clothing and he didn't care about the hour. He did look like some madman that was out for blood, but all he wanted was ice.

He needed ice.

And ice would be what he got.

~~

The ice was melting, but the van was moving closer to closer to Section One. John sat carefully on the edge of the gurney, looking over Nikita, holding some ice towards Nikita's face still. There was a dripping from the end of the gurney; the ice that he had packed around Nikita's ankle was melting quickly.

Walter was leaning with his head back. John wasn't sure if he was asleep or if he was just resting his eyes. It didn't matter; John finally had time to think about the woman that he was holding the ice to her face. Nikita had said something to John as he picked her up that now rubbed at his heart.

"Take care of Mia..." Nikita's voice weakly had stated, but those words were floating in John's head as he sat there, moving the ice around Nikita's face. He looked down at her and closed his eyes. He cursed himself for acting like Walter, allowing his emotions to shine through.

Nikita was a very special woman. Even though Nikita was there from a time before John, she made a difference when he was still a teenager. The woman that made change happen. Someone that all of Section One knew and the few like Walter, were able to claim her to be a friend, or even better, family.

He had been wondering about what Nikita thought about him. Her words to him as he came to pick her up, to rescue her, told him volumes. Although he was sure that Michael could take care of Mia perfectly by himself, Nikita somehow knew in her pain that John wanted to share in that responsibility, even if he never got to be with Mia in the way he wanted to be with her.

John was staring at the window as he briefly looked down. Nikita's eyes were lightly fluttering, which was kind of good, that she was fighting back, kind of bad, since he couldn't and wouldn't give Nikita anything for the pain.

"Shh... Nikita... We are almost back to Section..." John whispered and then lifted his head around. Walter didn't move from his spot and John leaned closer to Nikita. He raised a hand and lightly brushed the air off of Nikita's forehead.

"We are going to take good care of you, Nikita... Just don't fight the darkness... Let the sleep heal you..." John whispered. How he wished he could have kept her awake, ask about injuries and ask for a meaning behind her statement.

He wouldn't do that. The pain was too great for Nikita. Although the medical doctors at Section One were hawking him to wake Nikita up, he wouldn't and couldn't do that either. They couldn't see her body on the stretcher and they didn't hear the words that Nikita whispered. That selflessness that Nikita exhibited, first by asking by the children and then telling them not to worry about her, to worry about Mia.

"I'm going to go back... and take care of you, Nikita... because that is the best way I can protect Mia..." John whispered as he looked into her eyes. They were clear for a few seconds before Nikita closed them once more, drifting to the darkness that John wanted her to stay in for her own good.

"She said something to you..." Walter whispered in the silent air. John flipped his head around and looked at Walter. His kind eyes were looking at Nikita before he pulled them up to the young man. John tried to keep his eyes from revealing too much, but they did.

"Nikita whispered to me as I took her in my arms... to take care of Mia..." John whispered and Walter nodded his head. He would never play down those words. They meant a lot and John needed to know that. Walter stood up, still feeling weak as he looked at Nikita.

"Then she very much meant them, John," Walter stated as he placed a hand on his shoulder. John blinked his eyes and looked towards Nikita. Walter knew from that look that John had already realized that.

*

The door swung quickly open, not like the slowness that it usually did. Walter jumped out of the door, pulling his hands briskly; tugging at the gurney that was behind him. He didn't even think about the people, who were waiting there for their arrival, he just continued to pull, as John brought up the rear, pushing, but still holding the ice on Nikita's face.

Their arrival marked a mass confusion as the medical personnel tried to take over right in the middle of the hallway and other operatives that were just in the way. There were also the girls within Section One, as no one had been able to figure out how they were going to return the children to the shelter and maintain a cover story.

For John, everything was a blur. First someone took his hand off of the ice and then someone tried to push him away from the gurney. He wasn't going to allow that to happen, as he had his instructions. Nikita was injured and he was going to be there by her side until Michael said that he was dismissed.

Walter noticed the people that were standing around. It was almost like the crowd was waiting to meet a famous star and that the hallways were clogging with people. He whistled loudly and the operatives started to move, creating a better path to continue. He was thankful that Nikita was asleep for all of this.

"JOHN! JOHN!" Danielle cried as she jumped off of Birkoff's desk. She pushed her little hands in between the operatives and almost ran directly into the gurney. He swallowed as she looked up at the gurney and saw the person she wanted to see most of all.

"NO! NIKITA! LIVE!" Danielle cried out and John wanted to take his hands off of the gurney and turn toward Danielle. Her face was swollen from just crying alone and John was about to pick her up, when a pair of strong hands pulled her up.

"You are going to have to let John do his work, Danielle," Michael explained softly. He rubbed at the young girl's head and hair as he briefly looked to the gurney. He wanted to follow Nikita down into medical, but now was not the time. Danielle needed him and Nikita would have expected him to do as such.

"NIKITA!" Danielle screamed and Michael nodded his head. He had been trying to figure out what happened to the girl. Now, she showed an extreme fear that Nikita was dead. She had screamed no and live over and over again in the van. Michael could only imagine the horrors that Danielle had seen in her life to stop her talking and now the horrors that brought her speech back.

"Danielle.. She is going to be fine... but you got to be strong..." Michael whispered out but he slowly swallowed. He didn't know that for sure, but he knew Nikita. He hugged Danielle to his shoulder, feeling her little hands wrapping around his body as she cried. Michael looked up to the ceiling and closed his eyes, frozen in that spot, but his heart went with Nikita.

John turned the corner, and paused. The door had to open for their entry. Walter was pounding on the metal surface. He wasn't a man that liked to wait. Nikita was too special for him, and John understood. They hadn't passed many operatives since Michael grabbed Danielle.

It was just another thought to add in John's mixed up mind. There was Nikita's injuries, Michael's orders, how Danielle was going to take all of this, Nikita's words, and as he turned his head slightly to the side, there was another thing to worry about.

Mia.

She was crying as she looked at her mother. Walter started to pull the door open as John looked at Mia from the distance of about ten feet. She saw the injuries that her mother had and saw the bruised and battered face. It didn't look good at all at the time. Her life had been in a state of turmoil for so many years and now that she felt that it was getting stable again she had to look at her mother like this.

"Take care of Mia...." Nikita's words drifted in John's head. He hadn't let go of Nikita when he had passed Danielle, but then, those weren't his orders. His hands pulled away from the gurney as Walter finally forced the doors open. John didn't even see the slight smile of pride that Walter had on his face, showing that he had done the right thing.

"Don't worry, Mia..." John stated as he wrapped his strong arms around her body. She dropped her head into his shoulder and started to cry harshly. That was what Mia needed to do, but she had reached out for John. In her life, she found a way to trust someone else, and that was an important start, especially after dealing about her real grandmother.

The door slid close, leaving John holding Mia as they finally were able to work on Nikita. Real doctors were going to take care of her now. John knew that hours of surgery were a head of Nikita and her family, but now he had Mia in his arms, he didn't care. Michael could put a gun to his head, he wouldn't let go of Mia.

"I could barely tell that it was her, John..." Mia cried out and he closed his eyes. He bit his lip. He knew that it was Nikita from her actions and the intensity of the mission. But in a few days, he was sure that if he saw exactly as what Mia had seen, he would have a hard time figuring out who she was. He was going to explain how that didn't matter, that Nikita would look like herself in a few days, after the surgery happened, the wounds healed and the swelling went down. None of that mattered to Mia.

"What all happened to her?" Mia questioned and John pulled away from Mia and rubbed the few hairs off of her shoulder. He leaned in a lightly kissed at a trio of tears that were on her face. John pulled away and stared at Mia, they had kissed briefly behind the house and in darkness, but never inside of Section One. Even though Mia was worried now, the draw between the two of them was too strong. Soon their lips brushed against each other. Mia leaned into his soon after the kiss and sighed.

"Do you really want to hear this? The doctors will have the real information..." John whispered and Mia rubbed at her nose and then her eyes. John stared at her, seeing the indecision in her eyes, wondering if it was going to go away.

"I want to know if it will keep you with me," Mia settled and John tilted his head off to the side. He knew that Michael had Danielle and that he was probably being torn in a situation like his. Michael had to want to be at Nikita's side and Nikita probably would need him when she did come too. Yet, Michael wouldn't let go of Danielle because he believed that Nikita would want someone with her.

"Mia... I have to go and check on your mother... and fill out reports... and it isn't because I don't want to be with you... I want to be with you," John admitted as he ran his rough fingertips along the side of Mia's neck and then looked down. She leaned forward and pressed a kiss on his cheek for his words. They meant a lot to her.

"Your father will want to be with your mother.... But he had Danielle..." John slowly revealed and Mia looked down the hallway and started to rub her arms. She was frightened, but soon she dropped her arms and firmly nodded her head.

"I should take her the house.... So my dad can be with my mom..." Mia stated and John tried to smile, seeing the slow transformation in Mia that was needed. Thinking about the needs of others and doing it without flashing it for credit. She was about to turn away when she turned back and looked at John.

"I'll call you as soon as I get information," John stated, hoping that he had guessed right with what Mia was stopping for. She shook her head and took her hand and placed it on his. John's eyes fluttered as he looked at Mia, wondering what her aloof look was about, but how it was strangely settled on his entire being.

"I love you, John," Mia rushed out and ran down the hallway, not waiting for the whispered response.

"I love you, Mia..."

*

"I think Kwan intended to show me the world is not a place but the vastness of the soul. And the soul is nothing more than love, limitless, endless, all that moves us toward knowing what is true. I once thought love was supposed to be nothing but bliss. I now know it is also worry and grief, hope and trust. And believing in ghosts - that's believing that love never dies. If people we love die, then they are lost only to our ordinary senses. If we remember, we can find them anytime with our hundred secret senses. "This a secret," I can still hear Kwan whispering. "Don't tell anyone. Promise, Libby-ah,"" Michael spoke out, holding the book The Hundred Secret Senses in his hand. Nikita was just about to start reading it, and with his time with Nikita in the past day, as she slipped to and from conscious, never awake enough to talk and explain what happened, Michael found something to do.

Her eyes had just opened a few seconds ago, in time for the beautiful ending to Amy Tan's book. Michael felt the beautiful cover in his fingers, knowing that Mia had read this last year and after some talking into it, Mia pushed Nikita to read it. Michael hoped that Nikita's mind remembered some of it.

"I hear my baby calling me. She gurgles and thrusts her hand towards the fireplace, at what I don't know. She insists. "What is it, Sammy? What do you see?" My heart races as I sense it might be Kwan. "Ba," Sammy coos, her hand still reaching up. Now I see what she wants. I go to the mantel and take down the music box. I wind the key. I lift my baby into my arms. And we dance, joy spilling from sorrow." Michael spoke to finish the book. He closed the cover and smiled lightly as he saw that Nikita's eyes followed him. It was a good sign.

"I'm glad you woke up," Michael softly stated as he placed his hand on Nikita's head. She slightly smiled, as the face was healing quickly, the specialty of Section One doctors. Michael watched all of Nikita's surgeries, even if all the other Sections turned into substations. Michael delegated the work and stayed by Nikita's side, not leaving her.

"You read to me," Nikita said with a slightly smile crossing her face. Michael nodded his head, knowing that it was one of the rare treats that Nikita rejoiced in. She claimed that he was the perfect reader to her, that his soft French accent made listening to him more pleasurable than any music. Michael didn't argue with Nikita about that point, just didn't believe it.

"I was just passing time until you woke up," Michael stated and Nikita wearily smiled and moaned lightly. She did have a lot of injuries and Michael knew that the questions about those would start soon. He looked at Nikita and pushed at her hair again.

His heart swelled with more pride as he looked at Nikita. Oversight was stunned by Nikita's moves. Of course Section One showed that they could even break Oversight, but that right now they weren't a problem. Michael was sure that Oversight was running around with their tails between their legs, as Nikita executed the most beautifully planned and superb plan in all of Section One's history. Even Operations was bowing in the greatness of the plan and the numbers that showed.

It went off flawlessly, with less than 25 minor injuries and bruises to the bulletproof vests. It also got rid of an entire terrorist group, Black Death, and placed major dents in the numbers of participants in Red Cell and Glass Curtain. And in a move of spontaneity, Michael pulled all the Sections that were out there in the world under the direction of one group Section One. The benefits to this event were great, but as Michael looked at Nikita, he didn't know if it was at all good for Nikita.

"I like it when you read to me," Nikita softly stated, feeling the still swollen state of her lips. She turned her head towards the side and moaned lightly. Michael reached out and touched her softly, waiting for her eyes to look at his.

"I know... I know, Nikita..." Michael stated out as he reached down and took her good hand and arm and rubbed it gently.

"So, how did they put me back together again? Broken ribs?" Nikita commented and Michael nodded his head. He was sure that they were the first thing that Nikita would feel, as each breath only hurt with them, but there was no easy way to heal broken ribs.

"Three," Michael interjected with the precise amount. He watched as Nikita flinched at the number, knowing that recovery was going to be long and slow, because of the ribs. Nikita blinked her eyes and looked at Michael. Usually Nikita was very good at selecting the injuries, knowing her body and what was wrong with it. Now she appeared tired and weak. Michael looked down and sighed.

"They had to put rods into your ankle with a metal plate..." Michael started to explain. He looked to the large cast that was on the leg and sighed. It was going to be a long time for things to look as they once did. Michael took his hand and touched the cast that ran on her right arm from the elbow to the very tips of her fingers.

"Broken wrist?" Nikita questioned Michael. He blinked his eyes as he indicated yes. He ran his hands up to her shoulders and swallowed again.

"And you proved not to be double jointed.... Do you know how you dislocated both of your shoulders?" Michael asked, as he had been wondering around this one for sometime. There had been no good guesses in how it occurred.

"They had my arms handcuffed and chained... and I needed to get the keys... and my mouth didn't reach... and then I heard the pops," Nikita cautiously replied, giving the details, but leaving the images that were in her head there.

"Nikita..." Michael groaned, not believing what he had heard. Nikita smiled feebly and rolled her head to the side. It still felt as if a bowling ball had hit her face. She looked at Michael and waited, hoping to catch her reflection in his eyes, but she hadn't been so lucky yet.

"My face, Michael?" Nikita moaned out, knowing that he was avoiding the conversation. The only thing she was sure of is that she could still see and that her jaw wasn't broken since it wasn't wired shut. Michael leaned up and touched her chin softly. He looked at that little spot and looked at Nikita's face.

"It's going to take sometime..." Michael stated and Nikita's eyelids fell over her eyes as the tears started to roll.

"How many surgeries?" Nikita questioned instantly and Michael stood back and pulled his finger away. Things always got more complicated when Nikita wouldn't wait to listen to his words. Michael sighed and waited, but Nikita continued with the horrendous images that were in her mind.

"I'm going to scar, aren't I?"

"That knife cut too deep, right, Michael?"

"Will I be able to smile?"

"Make-up isn't going to be enough, right, Michael?"

"Please! MICHAEL, say something!" Nikita finally screamed and Michael sighed and looked as her blue eyes, still filled with the need to sleep for many more hours, looked at him.

"I was trying to say.. the swelling has to go down and you'll look good as new... You may hurt... but no one will tell what happened," Michael stated in a voice that he hoped echoed to Nikita that he was telling the truth. He looked at Nikita as she started to thrash as well as she could in her condition.

"I want a mirror, Michael!" Nikita stated and Michael only dropped his head slightly. He had assumed as much as a demand like that one would occur. He dropped his hand underneath the bed and pulled up the mirror. Michael wasn't lying. Time would bring Nikita's face to the beauty that it always was.

"How long have I been asleep? About six hours?" Nikita questioned and Michael only smirked lightly. The misperception of the time she had been asleep was great. He looked to his watch and made the mental calculation.

"You had 10 hours of surgery... and you have been asleep for an additional 18 hours," Michael informed Nikita and she paled. The ten hours of surgery just told her how bad her ankle must have been. Michael settled closer to the bed, looking at Nikita.

"You should get some rest..." Michael stated as he rubbed his hand carefully across Nikita's head. She grabbed the hand with her good hand, feeling the pain still coming from the shoulder that they had set back in place. Michael only blinked his eyes, trying not to worry about the pain that was registering in Nikita's eyes.

"I want to go home," Nikita stated and Michael started to laugh. He took Nikita's hand off of his hand and placed it back down. He shook his head back and forth and sighed.

"It's going to be some time, Nikita..." Michael warned out and Nikita narrowed her eyes. She didn't like it when anyone said she couldn't be home. She was upset and Michael turned his head to the side, as he had posed this question to the doctors. The one said two weeks, the other one said ten days.

Michael would be glad to settle for just half of the ten days.

If he got Nikita to stay in this room for five more days without having to sedate her, Michael would believe that hell froze over. There were things that were given about Nikita. She was outrageous and boisterous. She was on the edge and she was great. And the most important thing, her home and her family. Her comfort and her well being came well behind her home and family.

"Michael... I want to go home," Nikita stated and Michael blinked his eyes. He saw Nikita's begging in her eyes and he heard the warnings of everyone else.

"Michael... you brought Mia home early, she will expect the same sort of treatment from you," Madeline had stated calmly when she had visited him about two hours ago.

"Michael... I'll make sure the hospital bed is ready. You know Nikita, she'll just cause a hassle to all of staff in medical until she gets what she wants," Birkoff calmly stated after he had seen Nikita the first time.

"I'm not staying around for the flying bedpans, Michael. Just take her home. All will be right!" Walter stated and huffed out of the room, after Michael declared that Nikita would be staying in medical for the time that the doctors felt was correct.

Michael looked at Nikita and knew that there was no use in fighting what everyone had warned him about. Michael nodded his head and kissed Nikita's good hand.

"I'll take you home, Nikita" Michael stated and Nikita gasped out happily. She didn't want to have to fight on this one. She wanted to be inside of her own house and know that anyone entering her room was family.

"But I hope you don't mind our house guest..." Michael stated as he moved away from the bed and left Nikita to make the arrangements for the transportation. Nikita tried to sit up but found the pain too much to bear. She fell back and swallowed. She closed her eyes.

The houseguest would just have to wait.

*

The house was eerily quiet as Michael walked down the stairs. It was early morning and he had hoped at least to see someone up and about. The day that occurred yesterday was too insane to even think to organize what happened. It was like everyone ended up in the house. Madeline, Operations, Walter, Norma, Birkoff, Mary, baby Josephine, Mia, Aubrey, John, and Danielle. Michael thought about all of those and forgot to add himself and Nikita. In the end, Michael sent everyone who didn't currently live in the house away and kept Norma.

Michael sighed, as he was about to move into the kitchen for some coffee after being called into Section in the early morning. It wasn't from Madeline or Operations, but from the tone of Austin; Michael was needed to go over the monthly reviews, which were due at Oversight a day ago. He was about to move when he saw the brunette hair on the couch, rocking slowly back and forth.

"Danielle?" Michael questioned as he moved into the living room. He looked around, as he knew that Danielle was supposed to be having a sleep over in Mia's room. He had to wonder why she was here all by herself. Michael rubbed at her head as she stared up at him, wondering if she should speak or be quiet.

"It's going to be fine," Michael stated and Danielle turned away. She rubbed her hands across her legs and then pulled herself into a ball. Michael remembered his daughter saying that Danielle was really doing as good as she seemed to be doing. She was only saying two words, Nikita and John. There wasn't much variety.

"She was at Nikita's door, I brought her in here..." Norma softly whispered as she walked down the hallway. Michael looked up at the friendly nurse and swallowed. She looked at Michael and saw that something was stressing him. It had to be Danielle's behavior but also something else. She had heard the phone ring, even though the phone in the den that had been turned into the injured room was turned off.

"Nikita..." Danielle stated and Michael sighed. He saw the girl's begging as it was. He had seen the video of the girl screaming out for her in the warehouse. It had placed Nikita in great danger when she had done so, but it was very brave for Danielle. Since that time, Danielle hadn't been able to see that Nikita was alive. Michael sighed and took Danielle's hand and started to lead her.

"Did she sleep through the night?" Michael questioned Norma as he looked to the door and placed Danielle on a kitchen chair. Norma nodded her head and moved closer to Michael. She placed a hand out to Michael to make sure that he didn't go into the room yet.

"She is on more pain medication that she was ever on for the chemotherapy... I don't think she quite knows what is going on exactly," Norma stated and Michael looked up to the ceiling. There was almost no polite way to say what he was going to say.

"Norma, did Nikita ever appear like she didn't know what was going on as she was having the chemotherapy?" Michael questioned and she shook her head. Suddenly she stopped, seeing Michael's point being instantly illustrated and very easily.

Michael turned and bent down on his knees. He placed his hand on Danielle's leg and looked up at her face. He placed a smile on his face, not wanting the girl to be anymore scared than she was. He wondered what was trapped in her mind and what was about to come out. Seeing Nikita in the past few days had triggered something within her mind and now it was only a matter of time.

"I'm going to see if Nikita is awake. If she is... I'll take you in to see her..." Michael slowly announced to Danielle. He watched as her eyes moved to the door and then back to Michael. She wanted to be in that room so badly and Michael knew that it was what she was waiting to do, but that Michael needed to talk to Nikita about this first.

"Nikita." Danielle settled and Michael nodded his head. He would deliver Nikita to Danielle soon.

Michael stood up and looked at Norma. She slightly nodded her head as she pulled out a carton of milk. Michael knew that Danielle would be fine with Norma. Michael pushed open the door and walked to the side of the bed instantly.

Already, Nikita had been stubborn. She wanted to go to the bathroom, which Michael and Norma openly declared as off limits. They should have never turned their backs for five minutes and they should have never believed Nikita to be asleep. It wasn't until the yelp of pain was heard that the both of them realized the mistake.

"Good morning, Nikita..." Michael stated as he walked towards Nikita's head and placed a kiss on her forehead. She smiled slightly and looked up at Michael. He could see the depth of the drugs and how much Nikita was floating in and out of things. It would be a difficult challenge to talk to Nikita like this.

"It's morning?" Nikita questioned. Michael nodded his head as he moved to the curtains and pulled the blinds up, revealing the light. Nikita turned her head and lightly smiled.

"My days are running together..." Nikita drawled out as she tried to fight the drugs again, She fluttered her eyes and focused on the sun before turning back towards Michael. "You're going into Section,"

"Yes... I have too, but I won't be long," Michael stated and Nikita closed her eyes and swallowed. She could accept that. She didn't have much choice. Nikita told herself that she wasn't going to push her body, at least not yet. The pain last night in the bathroom proved to Nikita that sometimes you did just have to rest.

"I was wondering if you are up to seeing our houseguest..." Michael stated and Nikita's eyes lit up. Michael saw that someone had spilled the beans to Nikita about who the person was. There was a smile that crossed her face, brightly growing stronger and more intense. It was pulling at the muscles on the face that had been injured and causing slightly pain, but Nikita wanted to see Danielle.

"Please, Michael," Nikita stated and Michael nodded his head. He opened the door and reached out for Danielle. She slowly walked with her hand tightly in Michael's. He pulled the stool up towards the bed and pulled her heavier body up onto his lap. She looked at Nikita and paused.

"Nikita..." Danielle stated softly, almost afraid that her voice would hurt Nikita. Nikita's eyes glistened as she saw the girl and heard the soft calling of her name.

"Danielle... How do you like staying in the house?" Nikita questioned and Michael paused. Instantly, the tension and worry that was in Danielle's body drained to the floor. He knew that instantly, from allowing Danielle to see Nikita now, even though she was battered and bruised that Danielle was going to be changed forever.

"I like. You 'kay?" Danielle spoke out and Michael blinked his eyes. They were baby like sentences, but for a girl that didn't say anything for many years of her life, this was a major step ahead. Nikita tried to nod her head and slowly closed her eyes, the medicine washing over her when the pain got to be too much. Michael knew that Norma would be given the orders to cut the medicine back by Nikita probably within the hour.

"Danielle... Do you know what it means to have a broken bone?" Michael questioned, seeing that Nikita needed a small pause herself. Her emotions were running rapid and Michael turned his head to look at Danielle. She lifted her hands and made the motion of breaking something. "Snap?"

"Yes... it's a snap... that happened to Nikita's ankle, wrist and ribs... Do you know where your ribs are?" Michael continued as he looked at Danielle. This would make all of the rest of the day easier on Nikita, hopefully. Michael looked as Danielle pointed exactly to her ribs. He nodded his head with a noted sense of pride. "And all those bones hurt a lot..."

"Hurt like burns?" Danielle questioned and Michael blinked his eyes. He wasn't sure of the analogy that Danielle was using, but it was close enough now.

"Yes..." Michael stated and Nikita reached out with her good hand. Her fingers lightly touched Danielle and Michael held on tightly as Danielle jumped.

"You hurt bad?" Danielle questioned to Nikita. Nikita slowly nodded her head and then looked at Danielle.

"But it all feels good when I hear you talk..." Nikita stated and Danielle smiled bright.

"Then me talk a lot," Danielle declared. Michael smiled as Norma walked in the room. She held her hand up as the signal of the phone for Michael. He rolled his eyes and looked to Norma. She moved and placed Danielle on her lap.

"Please cut the medicine..." Michael whispered and Norma smirked. Michael knew that it was probably something that he didn't have to state about, but he had either way just in case.

"I play game with Mia..." Danielle softly explained to Nikita as her hands started to move. Michael looked from the doorway as Danielle was slowly moving closer and closer towards Nikita. Michael shook his head and picked up the phone.

St. Colette's Children's Shelter just had foster parents notify that they wanted to try Danielle out at the beginning of next week. Michael closed his eyes and moved, knowing that he had other business to attend to, although his mind would be stuck on this development for sometime.

~~

Medical actually had a few operatives sitting on the bed as Michael entered. He looked around the curtains and then started to check the rooms. Austin was sitting at a desk and lifted his head as Michael entered. He bitterly smiled a greeting to Michael and offered him a seat.

"I have to wonder why you would drag me away from my wife, knowing that she really shouldn't be home yet..." Michael stated and then trailed off. Austin blinked his eyes and looked at the file that he had. He folded his hands and looked at Michael.

He was scared.

"I was doing some reviewing of the files on Nikita.... Because she was so hurt, in case we overlooked something," Austin started to explain. Michael didn't even nod his head. His posture told Austin that he meant no long and dragged out speeches. Austin opened up the folder and sighed.

"I did this because we did find a little lump on Nikita..."

"WHAT?" Michael exclaimed as he jumped up from his seat. Austin tilted his head off to the side and cleared his throat. He knew that it was difficult to keep his own composure and he couldn't blame Michael. He didn't want to do this to anyone, let alone Michael and Nikita.

"I'm almost sure that it is just another cyst that we have been observing on Nikita... but I want to do the biopsy and get that all down with..." Austin stated as he looked at the notes on the inside of Nikita's file. He looked to the next words and closed his eyes.

"What else, Austin? You didn't call me all the way in here to talk about a little cyst," Michael demanded and Austin knew he was pinned. He looked up to the ceiling and slowly started to move his eyes around.

"I want to bring Nikita back to medical for some further testing," Austin stated and Michael stood up. He leaned over the desk, knowing that something more was going on here. Austin was scared to spit the words out and he had the right too. He didn't know if Michael would be irate that this was missed or scared stiff.

It probably would be a mixture of both.

"The fracture that occurred in her wrist and forearm... at first look, seemed like normal fractures... but I studied the files... and something doesn't look right.. especially with the fracture in the forearm," Austin started to explain as he moved and flipped the light on behind the x-ray. He pointed to it and Michael shrugged his shoulders. All Michael knew was that it looked very broken.

"So?" Michael questioned and Austin swallowed.

"I'm not an expert... but the pattern of the break... Michael... ah..."

"Spit it out, Austin!" Michael shouted.

"It looks like the break occurred where there was a bone tumor," Austin stated and Michael closed his eyes. He felt his entire world focus on those two words as they chanted in his head, louder and louder and louder until he dropped to the chair.

"Michael... Michael... please listen to me...." Austin was calling out as Michael held his head in his hands. It wasn't for several minutes later when Michael found the ability to focus and know that Austin was even speaking.

"Are we talking about cancer here?" Michael questioned and Austin sighed as he drew his sympathetic eyes onto Michael's face. He didn't want to shrug his shoulders, but he didn't want Michael to think that he had all the answers.

"What I'm trying to tell you Michael... We need to do more tests... and we need to get a proper specialist in here for this..." Austin stated and Michael's eyes narrowed.

"I thought you were an oncologist," Michael sharply stated and Austin sat down and nodded his head.

"Yes... but for this... we need an orthopedic oncologist," Austin clarified and Michael nodded his head, taking in the information. He rubbed his hands together and swallowed.

"Do we have one of them inside of Section?" Michael questioned as his voice cracked with the emotion.

"We did in Section Seven," Austin spoke and Michael dropped his eyes. Here was the consequence of blowing up Section Seven without blinking. He lifted his head.

"But... I wouldn't have trusted him to stitch Nikita up, let alone run a bone biopsy," Austin continued after a long pause. Michael stood up and rubbed his hands. He didn't know how he was going to explain to Nikita why he had to take her back to Section One and most importantly, back to medical.

"Get a good one... I don't care how," Michael stated and walked out of the office. He walked straight out of medical and turned to the wall. He placed his head against the wall and stopped.

And then he screamed.

*

All the pressures that Michael had placed on him in the past didn't compare to what he thought about as he pressed his head into that wall. Nothing compared to the panic that he was facing now; not able to think rationally and finally giving up the thought that he could handle this.

He couldn't handle this.

Michael's only effort was spent on not falling to the floor. He pushed harder and harder towards the wall as the world faded and spun. He didn't want to fall. He allowed the tears fall, feeling that he didn't have the strength to continue on in this manner anymore. Michael felt that he was going to fly off like pieces of dust in a windstorm.

He didn't know that his body was trembling and he didn't know that his body was wavering. He didn't know that he was leaning to the one side and he didn't know that his sobs and screams were echoing down the hallway.

He didn't know how he was going to tell Nikita.

Most operatives just stood there, staring at Michael. No one wanted to approach him, and they scattered around the hallways, knowing that Madeline was starting towards them. She turned the corner and saw the sweat that was pouring off of his body.

"Michael, what is it?" Madeline questioned as she placed a hand on Michael's shoulder. Michael's legs started to fall downward and Madeline turned and helped Michael carefully to the floor.

"Put your head in between your legs," Madeline ordered as she squatted down by Michael's side. She looked at his flushed face and his grinding teeth. He was trying to fight the panic, but it was taking over his body. He wasn't one to allow the panic to just occur, but it was going to win. It would be easier if he would just let it flow.

"Michael... just breathe deeply..." Madeline stated as she started to try to push Michael's head down to the position that she wanted him too. He fought her hands, pushing back towards her hands more and more. Madeline swallowed and looked as Austin stepped out of medical to see the scene. Madeline arched her eyebrow and suddenly knew that something was wrong now.

"This isn't happening..." Michael moaned out even as he continued to clutch his teeth together. Madeline pressed her lips together and tried again to move Michael into a better position to deal with his panic. He continued to fight until he looked into Madeline's eyes.

That one look slipped Michael passed the control he thought he had. He started to cry like a baby, wailing harder and harder. Madeline swallowed again and hoped to ease this attack without having to medicate. Michael now dropped his head like Madeline was trying to get him to do. They stayed like that for many moments as the hallways stayed quiet. Madeline realized that Birkoff must have sealed them off.

"Madeline... please make it stop..." Michael moaned out, finally giving Madeline something. She settled down on the ground next to Michael, not breaking her contact with Michael. He needed support and to move her hand now would be detrimental to Michael's emotional well being.