Karin Tethers walked down the hallway firmly as she looked around the area. It was a maze of little cubicles that she was proud to have dragged herself out of, without doing anything to destroy her moral character. She walked into the one cubicle and stood firmly as the man looked up at the site in front of him.

"Ms. Tethers.... I am working on it as quickly as I can," the man stuttered as he turned his screen around and showed the work on the screen to Karin. She blinked her eyes and turned her head to the side. She was a tall and thin woman, with shoulder-length light-brown hair. Her eyes were a vivid blue and she pierced them onto the man again.

"I know you are working on it, Mr. James, but you have your mind on other things, also." Karin said as she moved closer to him. She pulled out a paper in one of her folders. She dropped it above his head and watched it float down from above.

Mr. James looked to the paper and looked up to Karin with a pale face. He started to shake in fear as he stood up, and he did not even match her height, as she was well over six feet by four inches, and that was without heels on. She smoothed her bright blue business jacket as Mr. James continued to shake his head.

"No.. I have a family to support.. a son that just started college! You can't do this to me!" Mr. James said and Karin smiled and nodded her head.

"And you shouldn't have been using the computers for other pleasures. I don't think your wife and family would be pleased to see that." Karin said and she moved out the cubicle and smiled as she turned and continued down the hallway. Usually Karin would feel guilty for firing staff, because they almost all had families to support or other issues. Yet, Mr. James had been a thorn in her side, finding more time for his jollies than anything else.

"Karin..." a voice drifted out from behind her. She turned to find her boss walking towards her. She smiled and moved forward towards the older man. She tilted her head down and looked at the short man as he came up close to Karin.

"How many times have I told you not to wear heals?" Mr. Fensworth asked Karin and she laughed brightly. The smile lit up her face as she looked down to the man.

"And how many times have I told you that I only wear them to fire men?" Karin asked in the joking manner that had been between her and her boss for over the six years that she had her vice-presidency in the financial business. Mr. Fensworth smiled and nodded his head.

"So, Mr. James is gone. I am surprised that it took that long. What was it finally?" Mr. Fensworth asked and Karin swallowed and looked down to her hands. To admit the truth would show her weakness, but she had never lied to her boss, and it had been one of the many reasons why she had been successful.

"He was posting fantasies on a board about explicit acts with his female boss who was over six feet tall." Karin candidly responded and Mr. Fensworth shook his head. He had been surprised how long Karin had allowed for it to go on for, but was glad that it was over. He moved to Karin's side and was about to reach for her hand when he noticed that both of them were full. That was just like Karin, always overworking.

Mr. Fensworth would never admit it to Karin, but he cared for her, and then worried about her. She had a long-term relationship just break off just over a week ago, and he knew that her personal assistant was going to be leaving the company, as she was expecting her little child any day now. Mr. Fensworth had his contacts and kept an eye on Karin, and even found out some things about her. It was five years ago that he paid her own private detective some extra money so he could continue on his search for Karin's mother. When he did find her, Mr. Fensworth was upset that he allowed her to get hurt in such a way.

"I know that Lisa's last day is today. Have you made plans for your new assistant?" Mr. Fensworth commented and Karin smiled at him, knowing that he knew she had made a selection. That was part of the reason why he was standing with her now.

"Yes, I have. And you know it, sir." Karin responded playfully and the older man chuckled. Karin did know him well.

"I am just worried with your decision. To select someone from the mailroom is more than unusual. Someone should come out of the cubicles to help you." Mr. Fensworth said and Karin rolled her eyes. She stepped off to the side and smiled at the man at the desk. She placed her files down on the desk and quickly flipped through a few manila folders before pulling out a sheet.

"Does that look like an application for someone to work in the mailroom?" Karin challenged her boss. She handed the sheet out and waited for her boss to read over it. She looked around, as the workers were trying to pay attention. With one large sweep of her head, the workers went back to their work, as they all had noticed, Karin had worn heals today.

"This application is great, but I thought we had issues with this person." Mr. Fensworth commented and Karin pressed her lips together. She hated it when her boss started to talk issues, as sometimes he never looked deep enough to find out why those issues existed to start with. Karin was the type that always saw the good in everyone, and if there was a problem, searched for the problem. This was one of those cases.

"We have to give everyone a chance. I am going to see if I can resolve those issues. We both know how unhealthy the mailroom is..... and how much I have wanted to see it changed." Karin said and Mr. Fensworth looked to Karin and shook his head.

"I have other issues also, Karin. We have standards for the people who work on these floors." Mr. Fensworth said and Karin shook her head. Although he was progressive in some of his methods with money, some times, Mr. Fensworth was down right old-fashioned.

"Well, I can't expect a person working in the mailroom to afford clothing that is acceptable up here. That's why I plan on making an offer." Karin said and Mr. Fensworth shook his head. He had been around when Karin started to make offers. They were often crazy ideas and thoughts, and he would protest on them vehemently.

"Karin!" Mr. Fensworth said and Karin smiled down at him as she pushed her hair away from her face. She rubbed her hands together and looked around the area.

"What about Ken Dolten? Was I wrong there?" Karin responded as she began to pull her files back up from the desk. She stopped and pulled out a folder and left it for the man. Mr. Fensworth sighed and shook his head. Karin had a way with people he would never give a chance.

"Fine, Karin. Will I see you for lunch?" Mr. Fensworth said and Karin shook her head as she turned and headed off towards her corner office. Mr. Fensworth did not need to guess that Karin was going to be spending time with her new charity case.

Karin rounded the corner and smiled at her currently, very pregnant assistant, Lisa. Lisa looked towards the door and rolled her eyes. She had been there for every charity case that Karin had worked on and every time had celebrated with Karin when she was right. This one, even Lisa wasn't so sure about. Karin dropped the files off on the desk and shook her head. She was going to make this one work.

Karin walked into her opened office door and towards her desk as she saw the bright blonde hair pulled up into a tight ponytail. She rounded the chair and looked to the woman. She looked tired and sick, but yet Karin smiled at the woman.

"Hello, Nikita... I am sure you are wondering why I have called for you. I think we have some things to discuss, and that it will be an opportunity that you won't turn away from." Karin said with a huge smile as she looked into Nikita's own blue eyes.

Karin waited as she thought. There was something about this woman. She had been on and off attending work for the first four weeks that she had been employed. Karin had asked for them to be caring for her, and she knew that Nikita's position in the mailroom had been almost gone, had she not stepped in. It was very apparent that Nikita had been sick, and Karin wanted to help her back up, because some times, the only thing a person needed was one good thing to happen to them

*

Nikita looked up at Karen and swallowed, unsure of what to expect. She rubbed her hands together into the white shirt that she had worn to work today, definitely something that she would not have worn if she knew she was going to be meeting with Karin in the upstairs offices, that Nikita had looked at carefully.

"Nikita, I saw your application... you have enough skills to have a better job." Karin said and Nikita swallowed and smiled up at Karin.

"Ms. Tethers, I'm sure you think that, but I actually like my job." Nikita commented and then pulled her head down. Karin looked at Nikita and pressed her lips together. There was no easy way to approach the situation with Nikita, and she was worried that she had made a mistake. Yet, Karin always knew she had a good judge of character.

"Actually... if you can tell me a few things... that help me understand what has happened in the mailroom... I was going to offer you the position of my personal assistant." Karin said and she watched Nikita's body suddenly gather a grace and posture she did not know that Nikita had. Nikita's head looked up and the smile seemed to warm all of the cold features that her boss had focused on. Instantly, Karin knew that Nikita was meant to take this job, but that she would have to make her feel like she deserved it.

"I can't be your personal assistant. I am sure that someone else deserves the promotion." Nikita commented in a deep voice and Karin smiled and pulled out a paper. She held it out for Nikita to view.

"I do have someone.. but frankly, I don't think I like him." Karin said and Nikita smirked and then laughed softly. But Karin saw something that needed to be discussed. She dropped the papers and moved around from her desk.

"I am wondering why you didn't apply for another job. We had numerous positions available." Karin said and Nikita turned her head away from Karin. Karin watched as Nikita's hands rubbed against her neck and then the thin blonde turned to look at her with eyes filled with pain.

"I guess you want the truth." Nikita softly said as she stood up. Karin waited as Nikita picked up her own application form and looked at it as if it was foreign to her. She turned and leaned against the desk as she looked at Karin.

"This was pieced together... A few months ago... I was found in an alley... in the garbage left for dead... Or at least we think." Nikita said slowly as she dropped the paper back down to the desk and then moved to the window as she remembered the bags of garbage around her cold body, and not being able to push herself up from them.

"At first... I didn't know anything of who I was... slowly, pieces came back.. and some of it... Is gone forever." Nikita whispered as her head dropped down. She closed her eyes and swallowed to find the strength to continue on.

Karin was carefully listening and with so few words, Karin was shocked that Nikita was able to pick up what pieces that she did know and to start a job. Karin understood now why sometimes she needed to just leave, as maybe a memory flooded her system. It also described the reason why Nikita looked so sickly. Karin had been afraid to find out why Nikita looked so poor, but now it made sense. She must have been bad off for her to lose her memory and to be left out in the alley a few months ago, would have meant the dead of the winter. Karin knew she had made up her mind. She needed to help Nikita.

"I just wanted a job to pay for an apartment." Nikita stated and Karin nodded her head as she moved to Nikita. She rubbed Nikita's shoulder and smiled at her, knowing that Nikita needed some love and support and she wondered if Nikita had any memories of such activities.

"Well, if you become my assistant, you can do more than that." Karin said with a smile and Nikita shook her head, still stunned at Karin's words. Karin looked out the window and then to Nikita.

"You will do it, correct?" Karin asked and Nikita blinked her eyes, pleasantly surprised by this offer and then at the speed that it had occurred within.

"Sure... but..." Nikita said as she face began to turn red. Karin waited as Nikita moved further away from her. Karin knew what the problem might be, but she didn't want Nikita to go away from it.

"I have to get to Goodwill... get some proper clothing.." Nikita said as she stared at the books on the wall opposite from the window. Karin pressed her lips together as she heard Nikita's words.

"It must be somewhat hard to find clothes at Goodwill with your height." Karin stated mildly, and Nikita started to nod her head up and down. There was a slight chuckle.

"That's why half my pants are so short, there isn't much for tall women." Nikita said as she turned around and then dropped her head in embarrassment. She could not believe that she was saying such things to a woman who was a Vice President of the company that she was working for. Nikita moved towards the door and Karin shook her head and pressed a hand to the door.

"Nikita... It's all right. Why don't I give you an advancement on your pay raise and I'll take you shopping in the morning." Karin said and Nikita looked at Karin with stunned eyes. Nikita swallowed and then smiled.

"You would do that for me?" Nikita questioned and Karin smiled broadly as she started to nod her head.

"Yeah.... Because I want to prove Mr. Fensworth wrong." Karin said and then she looked at Nikita. "And I like you." Karin added. Nikita looked to her hands and then smiled at Karin.

"Well, I have to go catch my bus and clear out my locker downstairs. I hope you really meant this." Nikita said and Karin smiled and nodded her head. The girl was such a nice girl and now seemed to be one that needed a little lifting up. Karin was sure that she could help Nikita and make her life better.

"I do, Nikita." Karin said and Nikita stepped out of the office and the door closed. Karin looked to the door and then moved to her desk deep in thought. She had another reason for hiring this Nikita as her personal assistant, and it was nothing to do with business. For the past four years, she had searched for a Nikita. A Nikita who was her sister, and a sister that Karin only had a name for and nothing more. She had barely found her biological mother and the only information other than a small picture of the other, was the fact that she had another child and named her Nikita. Karin at first was upset at her mother, for giving her up and keeping another daughter that arrived some two years later. Karin loved her adoptive parents, but wanted to know her real mother. That was when a small diary from her biological mother's items made its way to Karin. It was not her mother's handwriting, but that of a small girl, who was in the first grade, and signed it, Always Nikita.

Karin looked at the door again, wondering if this Nikita was the owner of this diary. She looked at the diary and shoved it into her briefcase as she would take it home. She did not want Nikita to stumble across it in her working, as it might be hard to explain if it was the same Nikita. Something told Karin that the Nikita that walked out of the room and the Nikita who wrote that sad diary where one of the same.

*

The rain was like thousands of little pieces of glass spitting through the air, as Nikita stumbled down the sidewalk. She had tried to keep a hold on her umbrella, but the wind had won that battle. She now tried to protect her face from the vicious rain as it seemed to be tougher that being shot with a bullet.

Nikita stumbled a bit, finally glad that she had worn pants and a shirt today as she fought to her apartment building. She had given up on the other luxuries of her life in order to have the little apartment with a bath closet, a bedroom and a multi-purpose room. It cost most of her paycheck, but it was secure, which was important to Nikita.

She looked to the door and sighed as she pulled it open, drowned from one end to another. She looked at herself as the rain dripped off of her body and rolled her eyes. She could not believe her luck today. Things were going good, and then she had to take the bus home. She got stuck sitting next to someone who was drunk and singing Christmas songs, and then the thunderstorm ran into the neighborhood as she stepped off the bus stop three blocks down from the apartment building.

"Damn!" Nikita swore as she stepped out of her wet tennis shoes and padded to her mailbox. There were other tenants coming in and out of the building, most of which she did not want to know. The first three floors where known as low-income housing and the other floors were like condos.

Nikita reached out with her hand and braced herself as she began to cough, still feeling the effects of what had happened to her body. To say that she was pulled off the alley when she had fallen into the trash was an understatement. She was literally dragged by the Russian woman at the hotel.

"Oh, my.. that is a terrible cough.. and you are all wet!" A pleasant female voice said from behind Nikita as she swallowed the last cough and turned around. Nikita blinked as she looked into her new boss's eyes and dropped her head.

"Nikita, what happened!" Karin exclaimed as she looked at the wet Nikita, with her hair plastered along her face and neck. The shirt now clung to her body tightly and showed how poor Nikita really did look. Nikita looked at Karin and blinked her eyes.

"I take the bus.... And my umbrella flew away." Nikita said and Karin shook her head and Nikita blinked her own eyes. Nikita pulled her mail out and looked at Karin.

"I didn't know you lived her. I live in the penthouse. What floor are you on?" Karin asked naively and Nikita looked at Karin and motioned to the door on the left-hand side. Nikita turned her head to the side, knowing how much lower than she was from Karin, and how much Karin didn't still understand.

"I didn't know.. Nikita.... Why don't I take you into work?" Karin said and Nikita began to toss her head from side to side, indicating that she was not a charity case. Karin swallowed and looked at Nikita pulled her keys out and started to open her apartment.

"It will save the environment." Karin said and Nikita smiled. She looked into her apartment and looked to Karin. Karin looked at Nikita's eyes and smiled.

"Why don't you come in.... so I can dry off and change before I tell you that I will continue to take the bus." Nikita said as she pushed her door open. Karin smiled and entered, and Nikita almost feel to the floor in shock of the upper-class woman's move. Karin closed the door as Nikita dropped the bills off on the little coffee table in front of the small loveseat.

"It's not much..." Nikita whispered as she moved to her refrigerator and opened it. She closed her eyes as she remembered that she had done no shopping of late and closed it quickly.

"Do you want something to drink? I have some Fresca, water, or expired milk?" Nikita questioned and Karin laughed until she turned and looked at Nikita's eyes. She was telling the truth. Karin smiled tightly and tilted her head to the side. Although it was small and very low from what Karin was use too, it was a comfortable spot.

"Water, please." Karin said and Nikita rolled her eyes as she turned on the tap and filled a plastic cup and handed it to Karin. Nikita started to pull her shirt up and moved to her bedroom, searching out a long sleeved sweatshirt to pull over her body, to stop the constant chill that the rain had started onto it.

Karin turned in a small circle and then stopped as she came across the beautiful charcoal drawing of a beautiful woman with blue eyes. It took a while, but it was Nikita. She had to be a beautiful woman before all that had happened to her. Karin looked at the drawing and was drawn into the beauty that was captured but also a sense that Nikita's own being was trapped. Karin was sure that Nikita was trapped now, as Karin wondered how much Nikita remembered and didn't remember. It must be terrible not being able to remember.

"Who did this picture?" Karin called out, as she stepped back, still not being able to peal her eyes off of the haunting drawing. It was a large piece and she could swear that she had seen it somewhere before.

Nikita slowly rounded the corner out of her bedroom and looked at the drawing that she would spend hours looking at, wondering about Michael. She could have made contact, but she wasn't sure if Michael did mean to cancel her or to just drug her.

"A lost love." Nikita commented as she moved back to the little refrigerator and pulled it open. She pulled out the expired milk and slowly stuck her nose to the opening. When Nikita didn't smell it any different that it did the day before, Nikita drank some out of the plastic container and then looked at Karin, who was staring at her.

"A lost love? So you remember who did this?" Karin asked as Nikita wiped at her milk moustache and turned a slight shade of red. Nikita dropped the plastic container into the blue bag and walked towards Karin. She looked up to her own blue eyes and was struck with how much she had changed. Her body had lost so much of the curves that once were visible, and that had made her face beautiful. Now, everything was drawn in tightly and Nikita wasn't sure if she would ever look like she did in that drawing.

"Yes, it took me a while, but I remembered him." Nikita commented and Karin leaned against the couch, looking at the drawing still. Nikita moved to it and saw the fine strokes on it. She knew that Michael was hurting when he drew this and she could almost see the pain in each stroke. She turned and looked to Karin.

"We found the drawing in my room... and it took about two weeks before I remembered him." Nikita commented and moved to wipe up the wet spots that had occurred when she had walked into her own apartment. Nikita began to cough again and Karin stood up.

"That sounds awful. Are you sure you don't need it looked at? I can get my doctor..." Karin offered as she patted Nikita's back. Nikita smiled and dropped her head.

"That isn't necessary... Actually, I just need to sleep." Nikita said and Karin nodded her head and moved to Nikita's door.

"Since you aren't feeling good.. I'll pick you up in the morning.. around a quarter to nine. We will go directly to some stores." Karin said and Nikita smiled and shook her head.

"I mean it, Nikita.... I really do. You'll pay me back in time." Karin said as she stepped out of the apartment. Karin moved down the hallway, sure that the gossips in the building were commenting before she even stepped out of Nikita's little apartment. She was stunned with the apartment and then pleased, as Nikita had the best sense in artwork that anyone else that Karin had seen or known.

*

"Where is Michael?" Operations asked as he looked at the briefing table and then towards Madeline. He tapped his hand with the electronic pointer as he glared at Madeline. Madeline slowly tilted her head to the side, as she tried to stall for some time for Michael to arrive on his own terms. She knew the situation was getting out of hand before this point, but Operations was going to push this into a full out revolutionary war inside Section One if he was not careful.

"He had some data to complete. I am sure that he is just being held up." Madeline finally stated as she forced a smile up to Operations. Both knew it was a lie, but there was no way to push the fact with Madeline, because in doing so, you enter a mind game. Operations had no time for that.

Michael turned the corner and strode into the briefing room without acting like he was late. He pulled the chair back, sat his firm body down, and rolled into the table as everyone stared into the young man's face.

"Michael, you are late." Operations hissed and Michael lifted his head and looked into Operations' angry and stern face.

"It could not be helped." Michael blankly stated and then waited. Operations could have challenged what Michael was saying, but he had other things more important and more likely to break Michael from his rebellious nature of late.

"Well, our search for our renegade operative is almost over. We have a possible position on Nikita." Operations announced as he flipped the hologram screen on. Yet, there was no picture of Nikita and Michael tilted his head to the side and blinked his eyes. Without her face on the screen, they only had sketchy Intel that was only half-correct.

"This is Karin Tethers. She is the next target for the splinter group." Operations stated and Michael folded his hands and leaned forward onto the table.

"How do we know that? We don't even know who is in charge of the splinter group and how we get the Intel?" Michael challenged and Madeline blinked her eyes. She had tried to inform Operations that all of his moves were being questioned now, and not just those dealing with Nikita.

"We found some of the information in our system that had been accessed twice. First by the splinter group and then by Nikita." Operations said and Michael rolled back in his chair, allowing his disappointment of Operations' statement was known.

"Why would Nikita access this person? I have never seen her mentioned in any Section files. What is she to us?" Michael demanded in a deep voice. Operations cleared his throat and stared at Michael.

"Michael, you don't have access to all of the files." Operations said as he glared at Michael tensely.

"Sir, but Michael is right. We don't know who accessed the files first. If Nikita did, she might be trying to protect this woman." Birkoff said and Michael pressed his hands to his face as Operations glared at Birkoff.

"Enough!" Operations said loudly and Operations glared at everyone at the table. Birkoff knew that he would receive the wrath of Operations later, but he wasn't going to let Operations continue to skew the Intel the wrong way. Birkoff was almost sure that Nikita accessed the files first, but Operations would not listen to her.

"What matters is that the information about Karin Tethers on our system is incomplete. There are two factors that we have recently become aware of, both of which Karin and Nikita are not aware of, and either is the splinter group." Operations said firmly and Madeline tilted her head to the side. She was not use of being held out in the dark, and two things were a shock to her.

"First, and most importantly, the reason why Karin Tethers is on our system is because she is Nikita's sister." Operations stated and Michael blinked his eyes and then shut them. It felt as if the world was spinning, but he firmly planted himself so he could hear the rest of what Operations was going to throw at them.

Madeline blinked her eyes and the waited for Michael to glare at her, which he did. She blinked her eyes and moved them off to the side, hoping that Michael would allow for the briefing to continue and to discuss the ramifications of what Operations had just stated later on.

"Second, Karin Tethers just broke a relationship off, and she is now pregnant. As you all can tell... both of these facts could easily get the splinter group enough information to turn Nikita against us even more. We are going to send teams as soon as we are sure that Nikita has made a play at reaching Karin and then we are going to cancel her. No games." Operations stated and he moved out of the briefing area. Birkoff looked to Michael and leaned into him.

"Michael... I know Nikita is already there..." Birkoff whispered and Michael shot a hand up and roughly squeezed as Birkoff's chin as he lowered his eyes to look at the small operative.

"Do not whisper another word. Do you hear me?" Michael questioned and Birkoff nodded his head. Michael dropped his hand away and looked around, as the operatives were talking to each other as they moved out of the room. It did not go unnoticed by Michael that out of the operatives at the briefing, most of them had personally sided with Michael and Nikita in the past.

"Does Nikita even know that she has a sister?" Birkoff questioned and Michael looked at Birkoff and then dropped his head.

"It's best not to talk about family with Nikita." Michael stated and then he stood up. There was someone he needed to see.

*

There had been a few places that Michael had spent some time in the past few months. There were others that he was saw in regularly and others that he was never seen within. The man that a short while ago, was to be the next Operations, never talked to the man and was never seen within the glass office any longer. Yet, rumors were starting, as he had become more than a regular to Madeline's office. This day would be no different, as he punched the code and entered the office.

Michael's almost daily visits to Madeline's office were out of necessity for when a day like this would come. Most days, he would sit in the office for an hour or two, staring at the wall, as Madeline tended to the flowers. Sometimes Madeline would try a gentle conversation, but that never lasted long with Michael's short responses and cold exterior. Madeline had tried to talk about what had happened between Michael and Nikita when Nikita had made him believe she was dead, but Michael would not speak of that either. The only time that Michael had given Madeline an emotional response about Nikita was about the necklace, which Madeline knew about and also understood the meaning of.

"Michael." Madeline stated as he walked down the stairs and nodded his head to Madeline. Madeline waited as the door closed tightly and Michael sat down in the chair.

"Who do you believe on the Intel, Michael?" Madeline questioned and Michael blinked his eyes and looked to his hands. They both knew that all of those days spent in Madeline's office were leading to this. Michael at first was reluctant to believe that Madeline was on his side, but he dropped his head and swallowed.

"Birkoff." Michael replied and Madeline nodded her head and pulled a screen up. Michael leaned forward and looked at the videotape, as Nikita was in the hallway of a building with Karin Tethers. Karin was tall, as Nikita was, but from the first look, did not look much like Nikita.

"They had different fathers." Madeline stated as she turned off the screen and sat down in front of Michael. Michael swallowed and looked at Madeline.

"So Section has confirmed that Nikita is in position." Michael said and Madeline tilted her head to the side with a look of surprise on her face.

"Not Section. I have." Madeline stated and Michael took a long breath that raised his shoulders and calmed his nerves. His mind was churning with numerous thoughts and ideas, not sure of what would be asked of him here, and what he was going to do either way.

"Nikita doesn't know, does she?" Michael questioned and Madeline sadly smiled and pushed her hands out flat on the cold glass surface of her desk.

"Do you know what it would do to Nikita if she found out? Do you think she would be able to handle it? Do you see why the splinter group wants to have Karin?" Madeline questioned and Michael blinked his eyes as his mouth dried out again. They were the questions that Michael wanted to ask Madeline. He wanted Madeline to tell her all the things that he had no concept about. Madeline was the one that helped to hid Nikita's fragile mind for years and she was the only one who had a vague concept of what Nikita's childhood was.

"Madeline, I don't want to play games here. You know that I do not have the answers." Michael responded and Madeline stood up with a smile on her face.

"But you do have the answers Michael. You know Nikita better than you give yourself credit for. You feel it in your heart that Nikita is going to be destroyed. That Nikita will hate her mother even more, because she was wise enough to give up one child and then kept her to be used and abused." Madeline said slowly as she circled the desk and then circled behind Michael. She lightly rubbed her hands along Michael's back.

"You know that the splinter group would gain control of Nikita if they get Karin..... Because Nikita is giving, caring, and innocent. She would give Karin's life more worth than her own." Madeline said and then she yanked Michael's chair, causing it to spin his body around to face her.

"If I know all of that, why am I sitting here?" Michael demanded and Madeline blinked her eyes and stayed silent. Michael also knew that answer. He stood up and rubbed the back of his neck with his hand.

"Does Karin know?" Michael questioned and Madeline looked to her desk. She pressed her lips together and was silent until Michael's pacing ended and he stared firmly at her again.

"She knows of her biological mother and that she had a sister. How much about the sister she knows, is beyond any Intel we have." Madeline said and Michael moved to Madeline and stares into her own revealing eyes.

"We don't know if Karin knows she had a sister named Nikita, but we know that she is pregnant. Something doesn't seem right there." Michael accused and Madeline turned away from Michael and walked back to her desk.

"She has seemed to be inquire about ladies named Nikita.... It is possible.. But it might not be the reason why she is looking for Nikitas." Madeline stated and Michael dropped his head. He moved to the door and waited for it to open. Madeline sighed and sat down at her desk.

Madeline turned to her plants and frowned as her mind was deep in thought. She knew that Nikita was on dangerous ground, as she seemed to be playing the fine line between the splinter group and Section One. Madeline didn't like whom the splinter group had chosen as their first target, Nikita's sister. It almost felt as if the splinter group was trying to bait Nikita out, kind of like what Section One would have done to Nikita if there were no splinter group.

Madeline pressed her hands to her face and sighed. She hoped that giving Michael enough of an emotional kick in the butt that he would help even out the score. Madeline was sure that Nikita would find out sooner or later that Karin shared her mother with her. Madeline would never wish that upon her worst enemy to deal with, because Nikita was so unpredictable. The only thing Madeline could have done was send Michael out after her, only more importantly, with the proper information. Madeline was sure that Michael would have gone by himself, but now he would be prepared.

*

The day was actually quite a nice day as Nikita opened the door to the apartment building, with three bags in her hand. She turned and smiled at Karin as she entered. Nikita smiled and walked down the hallway.

"Aren't you going to get your mail?" Karin asked and Nikita dropped her eyes and started to push her door open. Nikita swallowed as Karin opened up her own mailbox.

"Actually, I know that it is doctor's bills...so since I spent all my last cent last night on food to eat, I think I'll image that I have no mail." Nikita stated and Karin shook her head. Nikita had been very carefully with what she had allowed Karin to buy for her all day. It was very apparent to Karin that Nikita was not the type to take all that many handouts when they went to the restaurant for lunch, after Karin had bought Nikita a good five outfits and made Nikita change into one.

Nikita had ordered the house salad and a glass of water. Not the type of food a woman who was just coming off of what appeared to be a serious illness needed. Karin did not argue though, and watched as Nikita polished off the salad quickly. Instead, Karin handed over her roll for Nikita to have also; saying that she was stuffed.

"Come on... I actually have milk that isn't expired." Nikita stated and Karin smiled and walked down the hallway and then into Nikita's apartment. Karin closed the door as Nikita moved to the small closet and pulled out some hangers. Karin looked into the closet and saw the couple pairs of jeans hanging up and forced out a smile.

"Oh my... Do you have enough shoes?" Karin asked and Nikita looked to her feet and smiled at Karin. The outfit that Karin made Nikita change into before going for lunch and then into work was very simple, a pair of black slacks and a navy blues shirt that was extremely professional. The black shoes were simple heels.

"These are fine." Nikita stated as she looked at Karin's eyes. Karin smiled and nodded her head, as she knew when not to push with Nikita. Nikita stepped back from the closet as she pulled out a pair of jeans.

"I'm going to change." Nikita said and Karin smiled and started to pull out the other outfits, all of which were dresses. Karin hummed lightly as she did the work, feeling good about what she was doing. She looked around the closet and shut it lightly as Nikita stepped out of her bedroom and sighed.

"I really have to do the laundry." Nikita commented as she moved to the little refrigerator. That was when Karin viewed the upper part of Nikita's arm closely, as there was what appeared to be a deep dent in the arm that was black and blue. Karin stared at it until Nikita slammed the door of the refrigerator shut.

"Karin? I wanted to know if you wanted me to cook up some stir-fry?" Nikita questioned and Karin shook her head and moved closer to Nikita and moved so that she could look at the dent. Nikita frowned and looked at Karin.

"You can touch it, it doesn't hurt." Nikita commented and Karin jumped back and looked at Nikita's blue eyes, as she seemed so calm about it. Yet, it still explained why Nikita would not try on some of the dresses that were meant for the summertime, that were sleeveless. Karin did not think Nikita was very conservative in dress, but now, all of the things were making sense.

"How did it happen?" Karin asked and Nikita pulled out a bag of stir-fry and dropped it to the small stove. She pulled her up and out of her face and swallowed.

"It happened when a doctor gave me a shot. The area got infected and they had to cut the infection out." Nikita lied easily to Karin. Nikita carefully looked down at her body to see what other scars were visible with her clothing and was happy to find that nothing much else was showing. She did not want to come up with enough lies for all the serious scars.

"We could order out, Nikita..." Karin said and Nikita shook her head as she opened up the refrigerator and showed the bottle of wine and placed it on the countertop.

"I thought that since today is Friday, and I got a new job, we could drink this really cheap wine together and talk girl stuff." Nikita said and Karin dropped her head slightly and then pressed her lips together.

"I can watch you drink, Nikita...." Karin whispered and then she smiled broadly.

"And I would love to talk girl stuff!" Karin said and Nikita tilted her head to the side as she pushed the wine away and looked at Karin. Nikita pulled her head down as the sizzling in her skillet continued and she went to work on the dinner. Karin moved away from Nikita, glad that Nikita had not pushed the issue about why she wasn't drinking and was called back to the drawing. She was sure that she had seen something like it before. It now looked more like Nikita, and Karin wondered more about it.

"Ok... if we are talking girl stuff... you are going to have to tell me about who drew this and why he is a lost love!" Karin loudly announced over the stir-fry that Nikita was making. Karin's mouth watered and Nikita lifted her head and a puff of air out that pushed Nikita's hanging bangs up in the air.

"His name is Michael." Nikita stated as she pushed her hand with the spoon harshly against the pan that she was cooking in. Karin tilted her head to the side, and noticed that the subject was sour and she licked her lips.

"Sounds like it happened before you lost your memory, have you seen him since that happened?" Karin questioned and Nikita rolled her head back on her shoulders and sighed loudly.

"No, and I don't care too. He knows too much of the old me." Nikita replied bluntly and Karin looked down to her stomach, feeling the regrets of breaking off her own relationship. She looked to the drawing and tried to push her own tears back.

"Well, at least you didn't have the same mistake with Michael that I may have with Tanner." Karin said and Nikita poured the stir-fry out into two dishes. Nikita tilted her head to the side, as she learned a lot about Tanner during the day, and she was sure that both Karin and Tanner loved each other, but that Karin just seemed to be impulsive about some need to find this old family friend of hers.

"Oh, me and Michael have made a ton of mistakes.. That's why I'm here and he is somewhere else." Nikita stated as she pulled out two forks and motioned Karin to come over for her dinner. Karin looked at Nikita and ran her fingers around the dish and then looked to Nikita.

"Nikita.... I think I'm pregnant." Karin whispered.

*

Mr. Fensworth walked out of his office and sighed, as his secretary was gone again. He picked up the phone to his ear and tried to track her down. He was about to walk back into his office, when a beautiful blonde, wearing a perfectly tailored red business suit walked into the office.

"Hello, Mr. Fensworth. I was just dropping these files off for Ms. Tethers." Nikita said with a delightful smile that seemed to spread from Nikita's mouth to Mr. Fensworth. The foul mood he had put himself into just minutes ago was gone as he looked at this creature.

"You aren't Nikita." Mr. Fensworth said and Nikita nodded her head up and down. It was a good sight to see Mr. Fensworth's jaw drop to the floor. He shook his head and blinked his eyes.

"Mr. Fensworth, sometimes people can't control the situations that they are in, and they just have to do their best until the better thing comes along." Nikita stated with a pleasant smile. He nodded his head as he looked at Nikita. He had definitely pegged Nikita wrong from the very first day. He had never given Nikita a chance, while Karin had.

"You don't happen to know anything about computers, do you Nikita?" Mr. Fensworth questioned and Nikita smiled broadly and shook her head from side to side.

"I know a few things." Nikita said modestly as she thought back to Birkoff's computers. If the real world saw that main frame, half the world would pass out in fright. He motioned for Nikita to follow him. Nikita entered the dark office and frowned, as she hadn't been in an environment like that in sometime. Nikita looked down at the computer and smiled.

"Two buttons... that's all that it is going to take." Nikita commented and Mr. Fensworth stared at Nikita as he moved to her side.

"When I call the specialists, they have to turn the entire computer down." Mr. Fensworth said firmly, almost as if challenging Nikita. She reached her hands out and pressed the F9 and the Alt button. Nikita stepped back as the screen unfroze and began back up.

"Nikita..." Karin said as she entered the office. Nikita smiled at Karin and looked at her. She spent most of the weekend with Karin, as she did not leave Nikita's apartment. Nikita held her hand as she found out the truth of her condition and as Karin told her about Mr. Fensworth's high moral codes. Nikita supported Karin, as she could, because there was nothing else she could do. Karin smiled at Nikita and Nikita pushed out of the office.

Karin waited and closed the door. She looked back to Mr. Fensworth and then to the computer, as the man he was smiling.

"I was wrong about her, Karin. She is a real find. Does she know anything about the stock market?" Mr. Fensworth questioned and Karin pushed a smile off. If he only knew that Karin had spent most of the morning in her private bathroom as Nikita did all the decision making in the morning, and had already made a great return.

"She knows some.. But I do have to talk to you." Karin said firmly and Mr. Fensworth looked up at Karin and blinked his eyes. He had never heard a serious tone out of Karin like this before. He folded his hands and looked at Karin. She instantly began to pace.

"I know that you believe we all have to conduct ourselves in high moral codes.. And you know about me and Tanner breaking up...." Karin whispered out as her hands rubbed against each other.

"Tanner is a good man, Karin. I still don't understand...." Mr. Fensworth said and Karin frowned. She knew that her adoptive parents would understand what her decision was. There was no way she could turn away a child that was hers and she would tell Tanner as soon as she could. Yet, she needed to know that she was going to have a job.

"Mr. Fensworth, I am pregnant... and I know that you..." Karin said and she stopped as Mr. Fensworth jumped up and hugged her tightly. Karin blinked her eyes.

"You'll do fine, Karin. I have my faith in you." Mr. Fensworth said and Karin blinked her eyes. She had not expected this reaction, as she first expected the lecture about the conduct of an upper-management person should be, and then the threats.

"What?" Karin whispered out in shock as Mr. Fensworth backed out of the hug and patted her hands softly. He smiled and looked to his computer.

"Your assistant is very wise. I hope you keep her." Mr. Fensworth said and Karin nodded her head and moved out of the office, quite stunned. She moved down the hallway to find that Nikita had come up next to her and fallen into step with her.

"Nikita... I don't know what you did..." Karin whispered and Nikita stepped in front of Karin and started to walk backwards.

"I had to start paying back my debt... but don't worry, I'll leave Tanner for you to deal with." Nikita said as she turned and headed off to the copy room. Karin smiled as she made her way into the office and she sighed. Before she could talk to Tanner she was going to have to talk to Nikita. Karin walked in her office and was sure that they baby she had inside of her, had an aunt, and she was the Nikita that had just gone off to the copy room.

*

Nikita fidgeted on the elevator as it moved up the tall building. She looked as Karin pushed her access code and the elevator opened the door to her apartment. To say that it was an apartment did not just to it. Nikita walked in and looked around in shock. It was prettier that most of the mansions that she had been in to explode or cause damage too. Nikita stood in between the doors of the elevator, and the doors tried to close and ran into Nikita's body.

"Nikita, come on in." Karin said and Nikita blinked her eyes and shook her head. She held a bottle of what Karin called decent wine and Nikita was going to drink by herself. Karin said that it would be all right and Nikita wasn't so sure. She hadn't had any alcohol since the Russian woman filled her body with Vodka and other alcohol to warm her up after pulling her out of the garbage, half frozen.

Karin looked at Nikita, needing her to get over her concern and to walk in. She knew that it was not going to be easy to bring up the topic of family, but that was why Nikita held the wine in her hand. Nikita stepped forward and the doors on the elevator snapped shut.

"I should just go.... You don't need to see me... and you have things to do..." Nikita whispered out and Karin pressed her lips together. She knew that Nikita was fighting what Karin had wanted and she would wait.

"Ok, Nikita.. You said that I could talk all about Tanner... Well... if I do that, I expect to hear all about Michael. Don't you think you'll have it easier if you take a drink or two?" Karin said with a brilliant smile. Nikita looked to Karin and opened the bottle of wine instantly. Karin laughed.

~

"Look... me and Michael... only were together twice.. I don't think that is a relationship!" Nikita slurred out as she held the glass in her hand. Karin smiled brightly, as she could image this man that Nikita had described. She had called him something between the angel of death, Zorro, and James Bond, but more importantly, French.

"Have you had problems in your relationship with him because of your family?" Karin asked and Nikita sat back and blinked her eyes. Karin could see that Nikita was uncomfortable with the question as she began to shake her head.

"I didn't have a family, Karin...... so, my relationship with Michael was messed up because we just had problems." Nikita tried to explain as she reached out for more wine. She watched the red liquid pour out of the bottle and into the glass. Karin swallowed and blinked her eyes, feeling the tears on the edge.

"I'm sure my relationship with Tanner was hampered by my family." Karin said and Nikita tilted her head to the side and looked to the picture on the mantel above the fireplace. Nikita looked back at Karin and wrinkled her nose up.

"Your mom and dad are great... and your brother..." Nikita said as she pointed to the picture. Karin swallowed and reached for Nikita's hand and softly held it.

"My adoptive family." Karin whispered out and Nikita pulled her hand back and then dropped her head. She slowly sipped at the wine and then focused on the red depths. She remembered all the blood that was around her when she exited Section One and closed her eyes as the tears began to drop into the wine.

"I wish I was adopted... it would have been better..." Nikita whispered out softly.

"No, because I wonder why my mother didn't want me." Karin responded as she looked at Nikita. The little diary was not far from where she sat, along with the one picture of her adoptive mother. Nikita looked to Karin and shook her head.

"Anything would have been better.... You don't want to be a kid to a mother that don't want you.... Or rather.. Wants you for her own financial gain...." Nikita cried out as she started to tremble with the memories. She closed her eyes tightly and then gasped for air.

"Nikita, it couldn't have been that bad..." Karin whispered. She had read the diary, and the Nikita that she was looking for did have it that bad, if not worse.

"I was play toy for her boyfriends.. And that was when it was good..." Nikita said and Karin swallowed as she saw Nikita's pain. It was apparent that Nikita didn't lose those memories, and it probably would have been best for Nikita if she had missed those memories forever. Karin swallowed, as she was not sure what was going to happen if she continued.

"I searched for my biological mother..." Karin softly said and Nikita lifted her head and wiped her tears and forced a smile out.

"Did you find her?" Nikita questioned and Karin nodded her head and reached for the small picture. She extended it to Nikita and she watched all of Nikita's muscles tighten up.

"That's my mom.... They told me I had sister.... I have her diary..." Karin said as she reached for the diary and handed it to Nikita. Nikita's mouth opened wide but nothing came out of it as her entire body started to jump and tremble with pain and hurt.

"No..." Nikita softly said as she could remember writing in that very diary.

"I've been searching the world.. For my younger sister.. Named Nikita for years.. With just that diary..." Karin said and Nikita dropped it and ran for the elevator.

"NIKITA!" Karin cried out as Nikita pounded her hand on the button and then jumped to the end of the small hallway and ran into the door for the stairs. Karin picked up the diary and started to shake herself. She had found her sister, but she didn't feel good about it.

*

Nikita banged her hands on her door as she could barely hold the keys in her hand. She blinked her eyes and swallowed the pain as she saw the little diary in her hands that she had dropped in Karin's apartment. The entire run down the stairs, over sixty flights, seemed like it was not her body. Half of the time, Nikita just ran, not caring if she fell or not.

Nikita succeeded in opening the door and almost feel into her apartment. She turned and pressed her head to the door as she cried out loudly, not caring about the thin walls of her apartment building and the gossips. She ran her hands to the door and pounded her fists against the door, as she seemed to be losing strength.

"WHY?" Nikita cried out, as she could almost taste the wood of the door in her mouth. She turned around and looked up to the ceiling in her dark apartment. Her body started to slide down the length of the door when out from the bedroom a known figure immerged and Nikita tried to stand up.

Michael looked to Nikita and shook his head as he moved to her. He knew exactly why she was crying and this was what his heart had expected when he heard that Karin was looking for a Nikita. Nikita pushed her hands to her face and cried loudly as she looked at Michael.

"Why?" Nikita cried out and she looked into Michael's eyes and stopped. She stepped away from the door and started to tremble. She saw something in his eyes that she did not want to see.

"YOU KNEW!" Nikita screamed as she noted Michael's calm exterior. There was no way he could have maintained calm if he did not know what she was crying out. She ran towards Michael and tried to punch him with her fists. Michael grabbed her hands and held onto them as Nikita's body dropped towards the floor as her hands started to rise above her head.

"Section knew.. But I didn't... Madeline just told me..." Michael whispered as he dropped the hands and looked at Nikita as she cried at her feet. He knew the questions that must be flying through her head.

"WHY ME? Why did she have to keep me? Why didn't she give me up!" Nikita cried out and Michael bent down and picked Nikita up in his arms. He quickly was able to make the circle into Nikita's bedroom. He sat her down on the bed and stroked her hair softly as she continued to cry. There was nothing that could be done now. She was in too much emotional pain.

"AND YOU!!!!! YOU TRIED TO CANCEL ME!" Nikita screamed out as she turned her head to him. Michael shook his head and he leaned into Nikita. That was when he finally got the strong smell from Nikita and he shook his head. Walter had told Michael that in some cases the antidote made the lure to liquor stronger. Michael looked at Nikita and shook his head.

"Nikita... you won't listen to me now.. It won't make sense... How much have you had to drink?" Michael questioned and Nikita shook and punched him lightly with her fists.

"I found a sister.. That my mother gave away... when she kept me to spread my legs for whatever boyfriend that had pedophilic tendencies.. And you want to know how much I drank tonight!!!" Nikita screamed and Michael closed his eyes. He rubbed his head, as there was a knock on the door. Michael looked at Nikita and sighed, knowing that this was not a good time to meet her sister.

"I DON'T WANT TO SEE HER! SHE KNEW I WAS HER SISTER AND PLAYED NICE TO ME!!!" Nikita screamed out and Michael closed his eyes. Nikita's screams were rattling the surface, and he was sure that Karin did hear Nikita's words and would be wondering who was in the room with her. Michael turned and walked to the door.

Michael slowly turned the knob and threw on his sternest face as he opened the door. He did not expect Karin to look like she did, as she stood outside trembling. She lifted her head and looked at Michael.

"You're him." Karin stated and Michael looked to Nikita and then back to Karin. Now he knew that Nikita had not only kept the drawing, but also had spoken about him. Michael blinked and stepped between Karin and the view of the hysterical Nikita. He was going to have to calm her down quickly, before Section One started in on its plan.

"Now is not the time. You don't know half of what her life has been." Michael stated coldly and Karin shook her head from side to side and handed Michael the diary.

"I read about her first grade year. I am her sister." Karin said and Michael looked at the diary and dropped it to the coffee table. He knew that it would provide some insight later, but not now as Nikita's screams continued to get louder. He needed to tend to her, and to do so; Karin was going to have to leave Nikita to him.

"Please. I have known Nikita for some time. Just tell me what she was drinking, how much she was drinking, and I will make sure that you will hear from her in the morning." Michael said and Karin blinked her eyes, unsure to trust this man. She turned away and then turned back to the door.

"How do I know I can trust you?" Karin asked and Michael looked at her. Karin blinked her eyes, as she could not stop her own tears.

"JUST GET! I DON'T WANT TO KNOW YOU! I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU CAN GIVE ME! JUST GET OUT OF MY LIFE!" Nikita screamed loudly out and Michael flinched along with Karin. Karin nodded her head and moved back to the elevator as Michael closed the door.

He looked to his hands and the moved back to the bedroom. He sat down on the edge of the bed and rubbed Nikita's heaving back. He was now taking stock in what Nikita looked like and appeared like. All of it was not good; she looked sick and thin. Her body seemed to be all bones as she trembled, and he was unsure how well Nikita spelt on this lumpy bed. Michael sighed and leaned back.

Michael reached out for Nikita and pulled her body to his. He was sure that she would still hate him in the morning, but now was a time for love and nothing else. It was something that Michael was sure that Nikita didn't have enough as growing up and that to start now, would not give back enough to Nikita. You can't replace a mother's love and sometimes you can't heal a mother's mistake. You can only help the person.

Michael leaned his head back and closed his eyes. His heart trembled with each decreasing cry until she felt her body slightly relaxed and enter a state of sleep. He rubbed his chin in thought as he looked at Nikita. Michael was not prepared for this and what might come in the morning. He didn't have enough time to deal with everything before he had to show back up at Section One. He pulled out a cell phone and made some arrangements and called in a few favors so that Nikita and Karin would not be going much of anywhere in the morning.

Nikita started to cry again as Michael folded the cell phone. Michael leaned down in bed and rested her head upon his chest. Slowly her heart started to beat with his, out of need to be attached to someone. Michael stared at the ceiling and was willing to wait for the morning to break.

*

Nikita rolled her head off of the pillow and slowly opened her eyes. As the soft filtered morning light hit her eyes the events of the last night flood over her body again, and her sore eyes begin to cry again with abandonment. She sat up in the bed and started to rock like an old rocking chair as she covered her face with her hands.

Michael lifted his head from the small kitchen area and frowned as he saw Nikita's immense pain. He slowly moved his way to the bedroom and touched Nikita's shoulders, but it gathered no response from Nikita, as she was deep in a whirlpool of pain that Michael wasn't sure he could lift her out of.

"Nikita...." Michael softly said and then was lost for words. There was so much that needed to be explained and the time was running out for him to do so with. He rubbed his own tired face with his hands and sighed in defeat.

"You had a mother and a father, Michael... Karin got that too...." Nikita whispered out and Michael moved his hand to her chin and made her blue bloodshot eyes stare at his. He waited until the tears stopped and when he used his other hand to wipe the tears away.

"I don't want to sound insensitive, Nikita. I know that you are hurting, but we have to talk about things." Michael said and Nikita pulled her head away from Michael and slightly trembled. She lifted her head and licked her parched lips with her tongue slowly.

"First, when I put that drug in you, it was an antidote of something that George gave you.... Walter didn't see it in the first toxin screen." Michael said and Nikita blinked her eyes and swallowed. She never thought that it was to help her, she always thought it was either to make her stop running or to cancel her as Operations had ordered.

"So I hated you for months for no reason." Nikita said hating herself even more, and Michael could tell that was exactly the leap that Nikita's mind had taken. He rubbed her arm and looked down to the area of the bent. He would have to remember that detail for later.

"Second, Operations is still maintaining cancellation orders on you." Michael revealed and Nikita's body began to tremble again. He knew he had no good new for Nikita, but that she needed to know. She shook her head and swallowed as the words started to form in her mind.

"Why? Because I stopped Section One from imploding?" Nikita questioned and Michael's hands slipped to her waist and softly stroked at the muscles underneath the cloth. During the night, when the smallest thing would send Nikita into crying fits, he had been able to look at her body, and it was in deplorable situation. Most of the muscles that had been formed from the years of training were gone and the grace and statue that was one of the hardest things to place in Nikita was gone.

"We both know he never liked you." Michael whispered and he looked to his watch as he was losing time and quickly. He could not allow them to gain a position on Nikita because he was with her. He slowly pulled out a small floppy disk and placed it on Nikita's hand after he properly dried them of her tears.

"I have to go.... There are ways to contact me on that disk.... Section knows that you are working with Karin...." Michael said and Nikita closed her eyes with the mentioning of the name. Nikita sighed and summoned all of her strength.

"I have to talk to her... the splinter groups plans on making a move in the next day or two." Nikita commented and Michael nodded his head as he stood up. He almost wanted to hug her and kiss Nikita. He wanted to claim that everything would work out, but as he walked out of that door, he wasn't sure if Nikita would live or not. He dropped his head and slipped out of the apartment.

Nikita slipped out of the bed and the blankets that her entire body had gotten tangled within. She rubbed her hands down her body as she saw that little diary that was left in Karin's on her coffee table. Nikita closed her eyes as she remembered that Karin had met Michael last night. Nikita was sure that now Michael understood her even better than before as she moved to the kitchen, seeking out something warm to wake her body up with.

Nikita's eyes jumped in surprise, as there was a knock at her apartment door. She padded her way out of the kitchen and to pull the door open. She viewed out and stopped as she saw Karin. Yet, her body jumped as she saw Karin's professional look and then jumped around to look at her clock that told her that the time was ten minutes to nine. Nikita looked down to her body and licked her lips.

"I'll just take the bus today.. I'll be a bit late." Nikita said through the crack in the door, not lifting her eyes to view Karin. Nikita pushed a hand through her hair as Karin stared at the emotional wreck that Nikita was. She had never seen Nikita look this bad, and she had kept a special eye on Nikita while she worked in the mailroom.

"Actually, there has been a bomb threat... We aren't going in today." Karin said and Nikita nodded her head, as she was pleased for some terrorist for doing something right. It didn't even cross Nikita's mind that Michael would have arranged for the day to occur as such.

"Where is Michael?" Karin asked and Nikita rubbed her toe against the door. She looked up to look at Karin's eyes and noticed that the woman had probably cried all night long and then Nikita felt extremely guilty. Karin had enough problems with her pregnancy that she didn't need Nikita acting like she had.

"He just left. I know how to get in touch with him if I need him." Nikita said and Karin nodded her head. She had seen the raw protective nature that Michael had with Nikita last night and Karin licked her lips.

"You needed him last night." Karin said and Nikita closed her eyes and tried to throw the image of Karin's own pain filled eyes out of her head.

"Look, Nikita, we need to talk." Karin whispered and Nikita started to nervously fidget in front of Karin. She bit one of her fingernails and then looked up to Karin's own blue eyes.

"Let me get a shower... and pull myself together... And I will come up." Nikita said and Karin smiled and then licked her lips. She saw the small diary on the coffee table and then backed away from the door. Karin nodded her head to Nikita as she silently shut the door. Karin stared at that door for several minutes as she tried to piece together what was going on.

Karin had thought a lot about Michael in the past night. He had to have been in the apartment when Nikita arrived. Karin had started to think that the relationship was more problem-filled than hers with Tanner was. Yet, Michael clearly loved her, and Karin was sure by that. She wondered if Nikita just didn't remember Michael as much as she allowed Karin to think. Karin was sure that there was more behind Michael than Nikita allowed out.

Karin moved to the elevator and closed her eyes. She had barely slept and was drained. Yet, she needed to clear the air with Nikita. She could only hope that Nikita would come upstairs to her penthouse, and that Karin would not have to go down to her again.

*

The papers littered the glass desk as Madeline looked from one pile to another. She had her own ideas on the reasons why she was being littered with the paper work, and it was an attempt at Operations from stopping Madeline from interfering with the cancellation of Nikita. She picked up some papers and smiled as she found the pen that she had misplaced a few moments ago.

As she starts to sign the papers, not caring what was on them, the door slid open and Michael walked down the stairs. Madeline lifted her head and looked into his gray eyes and dropped the pen and waited. She could tell that the man had not slept, and since he was on no missions the night before, Madeline had only one answer to the question why he hadn't slept.

"Michael.... You seem tired." Madeline carefully stated, in case she had jumped ahead on her conclusion. Michael stepped forward and glared at Madeline.

"You misjudged." Michael said and Madeline blinked her eyes at the anger that Michael was showing. Madeline calmed her racing heart as she tried to figure out the riddle that Michael had presented Madeline with.

"With what, Michael? I am missing something here." Madeline stated, not ready for a mind game. If this conversation was going to be about Nikita, then it was going to be clearly about Nikita, with no colorful second meanings, because that was when problems occurred.

"It was worst than what I thought it would be." Michael said softly as he finally revealed the grief that had taken over his body. He had seen Nikita in his eyes the entire drive back to Section One, seeing the tears that had rolled off of her eyes for hours upon hours. He dropped his eyelids tightly down now and waited for the next sound, only focusing on the image of Nikita's trembling body as it gave out next to his body and slid down to cry on the floor at his feet.

"So she knows." Madeline softly commented as she sat down in the chair. Michael slowly nodded his head and Madeline folded her hands on her pile of papers and waited for Michael to speak. Madeline watched Michael as he seemed to still be processing the information that he had gained and the information he was still processing. Madeline knew when he swallowed that words would come soon.

"There was this diary, from when she was in the first grade." Michael commented and Madeline sat up straight. She had not known about the diary and knew the information in that diary would provide more insight to Nikita that they have been seeking for years. Madeline didn't worry about the cancellation orders, knowing that nothing of the sort would happen. She needed to know what made Nikita into what she was and how she had survived it all with a heart and soul. It would be a break through for children that are going through the same things.

"It contained things that even our imaginations can't phantom." Michael whispered out and Madeline's entire body went cold with the comment. Michael lifted his head and stood up and began to pace. Madeline swallowed and knew that she was going to have to change the topic and quickly. It was too emotionally charged for the time being.

"And do you know how Karin took it?" Madeline questioned and Michael stopped his pacing and slightly swayed from side to side.

"I saw her. She wasn't taking it well. I think it was because Nikita ran down the stairs away from her." Michael replied, trying to detach himself from the thoughts he was having, needing to tell Madeline all that he could, for no other reason than to keep his own sanity in the situation.

"Should Nikita be left by herself?" Madeline carefully asked and Michael lifted his head and stared at Madeline's chocolate eyes. Michael trembled lightly and pressed his hands nervously together.

"It was a no win situation. Section would have gathered a position on her if I stayed. Plus, there are issues." Michael said and Madeline stood up as she stared heavily into Michael's eyes that were slowly turning a deep shade of green as she looked at him.

"Issues?" Madeline questioned and Michael rolled his head back and sighed in slight pain. He achingly rolled his shoulders around as if to stretch and then looked at Madeline.

"She thought I tried to cancel her. I don't know if she understood, but she did still seek my help." Michael replied and Madeline's chin slowly dipped to nod that she was starting to gather a picture of what Nikita must have been like.

"She also feels as if the splinter group might make a move today." Michael replied and Madeline blinked her eyes. The mentioning of the splinter group seemed too odd to her. Operations had just mentioned them an hour ago when he dropped papers down to her desk. She pushed her thoughts off of deep deception, and focused on the problem at hand. She needed to take down the splinter group, but that meant keeping Section One from canceling Nikita before she found them.

"Michael, why don't you help me with some of this paper work?" Madeline said and Michael nodded his head, glad to see that Madeline was going to allow him to stay. He was sure that Madeline would try to extract more information about Nikita, but then if he heard anything, he would not have to worry about security.

*

"It's good coffee." Nikita commented as she sat the cup carefully down on the mahogany wood table. She wanted to curl her legs up underneath her, but she looked at the expensive furniture and carefully rubbed the handles with her hands, needing to do something. She heard the other cup settle down onto the table and she carefully raised her head.

"I didn't even know you drank coffee." Karin softly said, as she remembered all the other times, especially in the morning, Nikita drank tea, most often Earl Grey tea. She pressed her lips together as Nikita ran her hands up onto the table and blinked her eyes a few times.

"When I see Michael, I sometimes drink it." Nikita commented and Karin carefully nodded her head. The carefree nature they had between each other before was gone. The deep defensives were now installed around Nikita as she tried to continue on with her talk with Karin.

"He seems to care for you a lot." Karin commented as she watched as Nikita shut her eyes and she looked up to Karin and frowned.