"I think we should stop talking about Michael." Nikita stated firmly and Karin tilted her head to the side. She was getting Nikita flustered and that was a start. She wanted to know her sister, not to get some version from what she tried to allow her to see.

"How did he know to be there last night for you?" Karin asked and Nikita jumped up from her seat and started to nervously pace. She looked to Karin and suddenly felt as if she was in Madeline's office, being grilled alive. Nikita started to chew on her bottom lip as she squeezed her hands tighter and tighter together, finding a release in the pain that she was causing herself.

"That's Michael." Nikita whispered out and Karin shook her head in disbelief. She was not going to allow this one to drop that easily. She stood up and stared at Nikita as she placed her hands on Nikita's shoulders.

"Nikita, no ex-boyfriend of mine, is going to be waiting inside of my apartment for me to burst in crying my heart and soul out." Karin said and Nikita swallowed and closed her eyes. She couldn't explain why Michael was there to Karin. Nikita was sure he was there only because she was in trouble of being found by Section One. Nikita had to believe that Michael was there for just that reason.

Karin carefully looked at Nikita and stepped back. She rubbed her hands together as she matched Nikita's shaking of her own head. Karin felt her own shorter hair shaking about as Nikita bit down harder on her bottom lip.

"You and Michael aren't over." Karin stated and Nikita lifted her head and started to fume. She could not stand looking at Karin. Nikita instantly realized all that Karin had in her life because their mother didn't keep her. All the pain that had filled Nikita's soul earlier now turned to hatred as she looked at Karin, who had a perfect life. She was going to have a chance to be a mother, when Nikita would never have that opportunity. She had a lovely apartment and a family, although adoptive, that had loved her, supported her, and gave her everything that Nikita could have only dreamed for in her life. All of it moved from the pain to the hate that now boiled deep within her.

"How dare you think you know me!" Nikita cried out as her nostrils flared like they did when she would fight with Michael. She lost the fragile grip on the world around her and stared at Karin as she shook her head. Karin was almost frightened by Nikita's scream.

"You think you know me... from reading one damn diary from when I was in the first grade.... Imagine that same year... for eight more years.... Repeated and repeated and repeated... Think of what you are to your classmates... Think of the torture of a little girl, no more than eight... who started her period... and.... No... You don't know! You weren't me when I was eight... You didn't have your mother... stick..... NO!" Nikita screamed out as her body trembled as the memories surfaced. She had tried so long to hold them all away from her life now, thinking that it would do no good to think about her mother. Nikita trembled as she moved away from Karin. She was ready to go back to her room and find a way to end it. Her past had run straight into her future and together, it was something that Nikita didn't want and she did not have the strength to face.

Nikita shook her head as she felt her tears rolling down her face, but she also heard Karin's. Nikita stopped and paused. Karin did not deserve to hurt because of Nikita. Nikita would walk away right now if it meant that Karin's life would be happy, but Nikita was unsure that would happen.

That was when the deep thud from above Nikita echoed through the penthouse and Nikita looked to Karin and looked to the ceiling as her Section instincts came back to her instantly. Nikita glared at Karin as she felt along her pants and pulled out the gun.

"NIKITA! NO!!! DON'T DO THAT!" Karin screamed out and Nikita pounced down on Karin's body, dragging her to the floor. Nikita looked up to the ceiling, trying to figure out how many were on the roof above them. Nikita knew that it was not Section One, as they were a bit too loud even for Section One abeyance operatives.

"Is there another way up onto the roof?" Nikita hissed as she held her gun tightly her hands, trying to figure out which window the team on the roof was going to use to enter in. Nikita glared at Karin's frozen face. Nikita shook her and she snapped out of the fright.

"Ah... there is no way onto the roof." Karin said and Nikita swallowed and moved against the wall as she left Karin, underneath the table. Nikita closed her eyes as the two windows were broken into, and before the men could hit the floor, Nikita cleanly shot a bullet into both of their bodies. Nikita paused and then rolled to the side, as another man entered. Nikita shot him in the leg, and his gun went off.

Nikita was thrown back with the impact of the bullet and she winced lightly as she leveled the gun and shot the bullet in between the eyes instantly. The recoil of the bullet throwing Nikita back and then there was silence.

Nikita suddenly became aware of Karin's cries as she stood up and pushed her gun back to her pants. She looked at the bleeding injury and pushed the pain away as she moved to the men. She needed to know who they were. She went to the first man, who was still covered with glass, and pulled through his pockets.

"Nikita! What are you doing!" Karin cried out and Nikita stomped her foot as she gathered no information from the man. There were no communications on the men and Nikita finally started to feel the waves of pain taking her body over.

"Nikita, you are bleeding." Karin said as she stood up. Nikita looked to herself and pressed a hand to the shoulder wound and moved to the doorway. Nikita motioned her head for Karin to follow her out of the room. Karin ran into the other room and Nikita shut the dividing door firmly and then paced around the room until she stumbled into the couch.

"Nikita.... Who are you?" Karin questioned and Nikita tried to blink her eyes as the lightness in her head continued to flow. Nikita pressed at her wound again and looked to Karin and swallowed.

"You have a computer.... I need to send a message to Michael." Nikita said and Karin shook her head as Nikita pulled herself over to the glowing computer. Nikita sat down at the desk and sighed as she could not lift her injured arm and to take the pressure off of her wound would cause her to faint. Nikita was not sure if there were still more to come from the splinter group.

"Send it to spyboy9999, all small letters... at worldspy.org." Nikita said and Karin stared at Nikita as she typed the address, not believing that it was real. Nikita was starting to feel the total effects of the lost of blood and the lack of decent pressure on the wound. She closed her eyes and waited as Karin typed.

"Message... Splinter.... Injured... Immediately.... And sign it with a 'N'." Nikita said as she closed her eyes briefly. She heard the connection send through and she forced herself to wake up.

"Now what?" Karin whispered.

*

Michael dropped the sheet from his hands and stared off to the wall. The words didn't seem to mean anything, as his mind was definitely somewhere else. He was worried for Nikita and what she had not told him. There was so much about Nikita that he did not know. He knew that he hid his past from Nikita, but sometimes, especially the things about his childhood, he didn't tell her because he knew that it was all things that Nikita wished that she had herself. It was best not to tell stories of the French countryside and your loving mother and father, when you knew that Nikita's mother was probably the devil herself.

"Could she have memories now that she hasn't remembered before?" Michael whispered out and Madeline dropped the paper she was interestingly reading. She tilted her head to the side and frowned. She knew that Michael needed the truth.

"More than likely, that is correct. She probably locked the worst memories away and they only need triggered out." Madeline responded and Michael turned his head to look at Madeline.

"Do we have any idea what is there?" Michael questioned and Madeline shook her head from side to side as she folded her hands up on the desk. Madeline slowly rolled her shoulders back and swallowed again.

"Child sexual abuse, like what we think Nikita went through..." Madeline said slowly and Michael closed his eyes as he remembered the words on the pages. Nikita at first grade knew the extreme mechanics of what was happening to her.

"It happened. That abuse did happen." Michael interrupted and Madeline nodded her head and her bottom lip almost trembled.

"I have read other case studies, Michael. I have heard stories of young girls getting pregnant... and I have heard young girls being damaged by the size... It could be anything." Madeline whispered and Michael closed his eyes. He was about to pick up the piece of paper and begin the tedious work again when the beeper on his side started to vibrate. He looked to Madeline and then slide the object up to view the message.

"Madeline.. May I borrow your secure computer?" Michael questioned and Madeline raised an eyebrow and then pushed away from her desk. Michael moved over and moved quickly into the multiple screens to cover his tracks as he went. Michael focused on the screen as his fingers flew over the keys and then he stopped.

"Michael, what is it?" Madeline questioned and Michael flipped out of the computer so that Madeline could not even follow his tracks. He stood up straight and went to the papers.

"Something has happened?" Madeline questioned and Michael turned around and rubbed his hands together.

"Actually, I have to go gather some Intel that has just become accessible." Michael said and Madeline rolled her eyes as she stared at the man. She could tell it was a lie, but there was something that even made Michael mistrust her, the woman who was helping him, although he was not quite aware of it.

"Michael... If it is about Nikita... You admitted, you don't know enough." Madeline said and Michael turned and focused his eyes on Madeline and smiled with a smile tinged with contempt.

"I know enough about this, Madeline." Michael commented and moved out of the office. Madeline immediately flipped the screen on and slapped her hand to the desk as Michael had wiped all traceable materials out.

"Damn you, Michael... Don't stone wall me out of this." Madeline said as she fell to her chair, feeling the stress pounding in her on head. She turned to look at the computer and sighed, hoping that Michael knew exactly what he was doing, since he decided to be so secretive. Madeline closed her eyes and started to pray for the next operative that walked into her office. Whoever it was, was going to receive the wrath of Madeline's headache.

*

Nikita trembled as she tried to focus on keeping her eyes opened. She parted her lips and licked them as Karin paced about, still in the shock of what was happening and the worry for Nikita. Nikita leaned her head back and stared at the wound. She couldn't get enough pressure on it and Nikita sighed.

"Do you have scissors?" Nikita cautiously asked Karin. She turned and stared at the pale Nikita and nodded her head. She moved to the desk that the computer was on and started to toss the drawers> Nikita closed her eyes as she never wanted to hurt Karin like this and now she was hurting her more than ever Nikita expected. The lack of blood was getting to other ways other than just feeling light headed. She was not able to push the memories of her childhood far enough away and most of her strength was spent doing that.

"Here." Karin said as she pulled the scissors up and held them so Nikita could view them. Nikita sighed and closed her eyes carefully as Karin moved towards her. Nikita shifted up from the chair and gasped in slightly pain.

"We need to cut my shirt off... so I can see how big the wound is." Nikita whispered and Karin nodded her head and she pulled at the bottom of Nikita's shirt. Nikita leaned her head back as she knew what would be revealed as the shirt was cut away. Nikita could hear it as Karin began to notice the criss-crossing scars on her upper stomach area and chest.

"Please.. Just cut it off.." Nikita painfully said and Karin swallowed and moved quickly until the scissors made it to the top of the shirt. Nikita dropped her head down as the cold air hit her stomach and she savagely pulled the material away from the wound and screamed in pain. Nikita gasped for air as she turned her head to the side and saw the gapping hole and pressed her fist into it as Karin turned her head away as her morning sickness would not hold anymore. Nikita closed her eyes as she heard Karin run to the bathroom.

Karin was just stepping out of the bathroom when the buzz came through from the elevator. Nikita pushed her body up and pulled up the gun in her injured arm as she pressed the wound with her uninjured arm. She moved as Karin walked over to the little screen.

"It's Michael." Karin said and Nikita closed her eyes and raised the gun. She could not take the chance now. She waited as the door opened and she stepped forward as her gun pressed against Michael's throat. He turned around and with the look of Michael's green eyes; she dropped the gun and struggled to maintain a footing. Michael stepped towards Nikita and grabbed her by the waist as he saw the steady stream of blood rolling down from the wound.

"Why are you half naked?" Michael demanded after he moved his way into a bedroom without even asking Karin for permission. He stepped around the room until he found the thermostat and turned it up high as he looked at Nikita's shivering body. She had lost so much weight before this time that it didn't set well with Michael's stomach.

"I couldn't seal off the wound.. The shirt was hampering me." Nikita replied and Michael pushed past Karin and moved to Nikita. He straddled Nikita's body as he pulled her body to the side and stuck his fingers quickly into the wound. He seemed to be in deep concentration when he looked over his shoulder.

"Why don't you go to another room and lay down, Karin. It must not be good for the baby." Michael said and Karin was shocked at the casual nature at what Michael had said. Here he was, straddled over Nikita's body, pushing his hand further into her shoulder and he was telling Karin to leave. It was also maddening that Nikita had told Michael that she was pregnant. Karin had to wonder when Nikita had the chance to do that.

"How did you know that? Nikita! How dare you tell someone that!" Karin screamed out in all the emotions that she could not sort. Michael pressed his lips together and sighed as he rolled his head from side as his fingers out of the bullet wound.

"I can get that out pretty quick." Michael said as he rolled up off of Nikita's body and to stand up next to Karin.

"We know a lot about you.... Like I knew that Nikita was your sister for a while before she found out." Michael said bluntly as he moved around the room, pulling out the supplies he would need from his own well packed supplies and the other things that could be supplied from around the room.

"Who are you!!!" Karin screamed and Michael reached out and touched Karin's shoulders.

"She just protected you from three men who were ready to take you away from here... and do some terrible stuff to you.. Don't just us for saving your life." Michael stated as he moved Karin to the door and shut it. He turned around to find Nikita trembling on the bed. He walked over and started to clean the little knife he was going to use to dig the bullet out.

"So, do you want to talk about what happened today in the less than four hours that I left you?" Michael asked as he climbed back up on the bed and positioned himself in the dominating position again, but it also would make the easiest way to remove the bullet.

"Michael.... I'd rather not." Nikita said and Michael nodded his head as he started to prod the wound again, this time with the knife.

"You could yell and scream about it all that you want while I'm doing this.... Less pain in the long run." Michael said and Nikita turned her head away from Michael's hands. She stayed quiet as Michael worked quickly and the bullet quickly emerged from her shoulder. Michael paused and looked at Nikita's white face.

"I was going to end it..." Nikita whispered and Michael dropped his head as he started to stitch Nikita up slowly. He delicately moved as he watched Nikita's body run with the emotions.

"Because you found your sister?" Michael questioned in a hushed tone and Nikita turned her head up from the side and stared at Michael's eyes. Michael pressed his lips together as he tried to see if Nikita had a hope in her eyes, and although they were clouded with pain, there was still a hope of sorts.

"My childhood was bad.. My adulthood is bad... put them together.. And it's too much." Nikita stated and Michael pulled the thread tightly and looked at Nikita. He knew that she had been remembering things that she didn't tell anyone before.

"So you two had a fight... Not real nice to do to a pregnant woman, Nikita." Michael whispered as he tied the knot and rolled off of the bed. Nikita moved to sit up, but the weakness hit her body. She fell back against the pillows and looked at Michael.

"You need to gain strength.. And then you have to get out of here, and never see her again." Michael said and Nikita closed her eyes and the tears began to flow. Michael shook his head from side to side, as it was beyond him why Nikita was crying. If seeing and being near Karin was causing so much pain, and then he would think that Nikita would have loved the chance to run away from her. That was something that Nikita had historically done and now that Nikita was just crying hit Michael firmly in the chest.

"Nikita, you can't stay... Section is coming in here tomorrow... I have to do something with the bodies and the windows.. And then get on that team tomorrow... You can't be here in the morning.. It is shoot and kill orders only for you.. No intense debrief before cancellation with Madeline.. Nothing, but shoot to kill." Michael said and Nikita shook her head from side to side.

"Maybe that should be done." Nikita said and Michael swallowed and stared harshly at Nikita until his body leapt. He crushed his body down onto Nikita's body and held her firmly.

"Do you really want that, Nikita? What about the other innocents that splinter group may go after? Do you want to give up now?" Michael demanded and finally Nikita's head turned from side to side. Michael pulled back and kissed the top of Nikita's head softly and then moved away to do some chore and to allow Nikita some rest. Hopefully with some sleep, Nikita will see things a lot clearer.

*

The light glared out in the dark, illuminating the bleak refrigerator, filled with more bottle water than anything else did. Michael reached his hand out, searching out for something more than water. Slowly, he pushed his way through the bottles of water and pulled out the strawberry-kiwi juice and placed it on the countertop. He turned his head, about to search again, when Karin walked into the room.

"Are you looking for something?" Karin questioned and Michael looked towards Karin firmly and licked his lips.

"I thought you would at least have some food." Michael commented sharply as his mind started to search for the best thing to give Nikita to replenish Nikita's system. He is about to stick his hand inside the refrigerator as Karin slammed it violently shut.

"I don't know who you are, but don't go judging me on some wide sweeping stereotypes!" Karin yelled and Michael opened the door back up and continued his scavenger hunt. He looked up at Karin and noted her tears.

"Look.. I was missing something my entire life.. I knew I was adopted and left empty that entire time!" Karin yelled and Michael lifted his body straight to view the upset Karin, but also ready to start an attack of his own. Michael thought that the extent of the diary had gotten to Karin, but now Michael thought that perhaps it didn't.

"Fine.. You spent your entire life knowing you were adopted.... Nikita spent her entire life knowing that she was being abuse.. No.. Not just abused.. Sexually abused... Somehow that doesn't seem to equate." Michael spat out as he pulled out some pita bread and then a tomato. Karin shook her head as Michael's words stung.

"Michael.. I read that diary.. And I understand...." Karin said and Michael flipped his body around to stare at Karin. Her words stopped as his green eyes lay onto her face and she started to tremble. When Karin first saw Michael, she knew he was protective of Nikita, but now Karin absolutely knew that when it came to Nikita, he would do anything to protect her, anything at all.

"No, Karin you don't. No one knows.. And that is the problem... This is the most that I have ever gotten about her childhood... I know that she ran away... But we can't push this." Michael whispered and Karin stepped away and shook her head.

"I want to help her... I want to love her!" Karin cried out and Michael started to cut the tomato and sliding the pieces into the pita bread. He worked in silence as he carefully mulled over the most polite way to tell Karin what was going to occur.

"You can love her... but you won't be seeing her again.... And she might not love you back... there is a lot of resentment there..." Michael said and Karin held a trembling hand to her trembling lips as the tears spilled out of her eyes.

"But I want her to be an aunt to my child!" Karin cried out and Michael dropped the knife and looked at the sandwich and then opened the door for more food.

"She can't be anything. She is a ghost.. That is what me and Nikita are.. And she can't love anyone.. Until she can love herself." Michael stated firmly and Karin dropped her hand as her own blue eyes, so much like Nikita's stared at Michael.

"But she loves you." Karin whispered and she turned her head to the side and looked to the wall. She paused and listened to the silence.

"And you love her too." Karin added in and Michael pulled out some grapes and dropped them onto a plate. He sighed and looked to Karin.

"Karin.... My feelings for Nikita go beyond love... but I am still learning the terrors that she has lived through.... And sometimes I sit back and know that there will never be a time for us..." Michael said as he picked up the plate and then the juice.

"Don't expect anything... but right now.. She gave you a gift.... She saved your life.... Because to her, you life means and is worth a whole hell lot more than hers." Michael stated and he walked out of the kitchen and into the bedroom. He set the plate down and smiled at Nikita.

"When was the last time you ate?" Michael questioned in a soft manner as he helped Nikita sip at the strawberry-kiwi juice slowly. She closed her eyes and Michael could see that she had still continued to cry. Michael looked over his shoulder, glad to see that Karin had allowed them some time alone again.

"I am going to fix all of this, Nikita... but you are going to need to be out of here by ten tomorrow." Michael explained and Nikita nodded her head, ready to take control again. She struggled to sit up and Michael stroked her cheek.

"Karin is going to need something Nikita, even if it is just a vague promise of hope.... " Michael whispered softly. Michael stepped back and allowed Nikita to eat slowly, hoping that Nikita would do what is right.

*

It was getting late and again, the watch was dictating his actions as he looked at Nikita, staring out of the window. He swallowed and moved into the room. Nikita lifted her head off to the side and swallowed.

"I brought some things from your apartment, as you said." Michael stated and Nikita nodded her head. She was trying to maintain enough strength now for in a few hours she was going to have to go. She rubbed her cheek softly and then looked to Michael.

"The diary?" Nikita questioned and Michael swallowed and handed it out of his pocket to Nikita. She sat it down on the bed and stared at it. Michael covered her hand with his and sighed. He wanted to know what was going on inside of Nikita's mind, as it might just help her in talking it out. He waited and waited, frozen in that position, waiting for Nikita to make the next move.

Silence indicated that Nikita was not going to speak first. She had moved into some sort of self-resiliency that relied upon Nikita staying quiet. He knew that sometimes when the words were spoken, it made everything true. If it was to Nikita's own good to stay quiet, then he would not push it. He needed to know that Nikita was going to be able to stay one step ahead of the Section One operatives that were going to be after her. He needed to know that Nikita would pull her act together and find the next target of the splinter group before anyone found her.

"Is Karin sleeping?" Nikita finally whispered out and Michael shook his head no as he pulled his hand up, taking Nikita's hand with his. Michael allowed a soft kiss to linger on the fingertips and then he smiled up at Nikita.

"I wish I could take you back and make everything right...." Michael said slowly as if he was in a far off dream world. Nikita sighed and rubbed Michael's face softly with her hand. She blinked her eyes and felt the other pain that she had been feeling. The pain of hating him for months for something that he didn't do. Nikita broke her silence, hoping to give peace to one of her pains.

"Michael... I should have known you wouldn't have cancelled me. I was just scared." Nikita commented and Michael lifted his head and swallowed. That was not the topic he was ready to talk about. He rubbed Nikita's cheek softly and sighed.

"You were drugged, Nikita. I knew what you thought the instant that I gave you the antidote... but I couldn't have allowed you to run away without it. You would have died." Michael responded in a tender whispering voice that seemed to sooth some of Nikita's pains. She closed her eyes as the images of her adventure in the garbage come back to her mind.

"I had told Karin that I lost my memory during a traumatic event... did she tell you that?" Nikita questioned and Michael parted his lips and then stopped. Instead of speaking it, he shook his head slightly from side to side. Nikita closed her tired blue eyes and then focused back on Michael.

"It was the way to get her to like me.... Most of it was the truth.... Whatever you gave me... Made me really hot, and I needed ice. I ran outside in a tank top and leather pants and passed out in the alley of garbage." Nikita said and Michael nodded his head as he had wondered what had happened to her in that time.

"The Russian Woman at the desk.... She pulled me in by my arms.. I had asphalt burns on my back and my heals because I wasn't wearing shoes... I don't know how long I was out... But I used all of that to construct my lie to Karin.. And now I see it." Nikita whispered as she slowly trailed off at the end, getting more emotional.

"See what?" Michael whispered and Nikita lifted her head and smirked lightly.

"She was as gullible as me.... And I can't tell her what I have to do Michael.. And I can't explain what you are going to have to do tomorrow to her.... I can't." Nikita said and Michael kissed Nikita's forehead softly and then pushed Nikita back into the pillows for some final hours of sleep. Michael had seen it best fit if he made sure that Nikita left the apartment with him before he returned to his team.

Michael stepped out of the room as Karin jumped back from the other door. Michael closed the door and frowned lightly. He pushed his hands to his side and looked at Karin carefully.

"I see that you heard us talking... and it only proves one thing..." Michael said and Karin carefully stepped back, showing her guilt on her face. Michael leveled his eyes to her and stared.

"And what is that?" Karin carefully asked and Michael rolled his head around his shoulders.

"That you are a lot like Nikita... she does that all the time." Michael stated and Karin lightly laughed, but she knew the seriousness of the situation.

"So you and her are going to leave my life like that.. Like it meant nothing..." Karin whispered and Michael stepped closer to her. He touched her shoulders and forced the taller woman to look at his eyes.

"No... Nikita will be gone... but to protect you from the men who Nikita stopped before... we will have to protect you.. And I will be in touch with you.... Although Nikita might not want it now... I may be able to hold and maintain communications between you two." Michael offered and Karin nodded her head slightly with thanks. She looked off to the side.

"So, what happens tomorrow?" Karin whispered.

*

The darkness that Karin suddenly became aware off was shattered as soon as her eyes opened within it. The noise around her was growing louder as she rolled up protectively up into a ball on the couch as she watched men run around her penthouse, swinging guns around. Karin instinctively looked around for Nikita, who had handled the last men that entered with guns drawn. Karin rubbed her long legs as the lights slowly started to get pulled up.

"In here!" A voice echoed from the room that the dead bodies were in. Karin slowly tried to raise her head and found Michael's changing eyes staring down at her. His jacket boldly pronounced FBI on the black surface and Karin knew it was not the truth. Michael looked to Karin and swallowed.

"Are you ok, ma'am? We tried to act as quickly as possible when we heard that a defector from a terrorist group had taken you hostage." Michael said in a deep voice and Karin slowly nodded her head and she looked at her body, suddenly feeling extremely exposed to all that were in her penthouse.

"Then, would you mind if I ask you some questions?" Michael said and Karin nodded her head up and down, hoping that she could piece together what was going on. When Michael left with Nikita, Karin had been asleep. Yet, Michael had tried to explain that whatever happened today was not the truth. He made sure that Karin understood that, but now, Michael could see that Karin was having problems maintaining a cover for Michael. He could not have Karin ruining his plans and exposing Nikita.

"Michael, that bedroom is clear." A man with gray hair spoke out and Michael nodded his head. He wished he could have told Walter more, but Michael understood that it was dangerous already that he basically kept Madeline appraised of the situation. He helped Karin to stand up and moved to the bedroom with her. Michael shut he door and placed the scrambling device on the door.

"I have you give you the story to use. You have to use it." Michael said as he pulled out a paper and handed it to Karin. Karin blinked her eyes as she saw a picture of Nikita on this 'MOST WANTED' poster. She swallowed as her tears came to her eyes.

"The story is that Nikita use to work with a terrorist group, and that she came to stay with you, but was cornered by the men of the group. That explains the dead bodies in your penthouse." Michael said and Karin softly nodded her head and dropped the paper down. She lifted her head and looked at Michael.

"She did make it out, right?" Karin asked and Michael sighed and moved to Karin's side. He rubbed her shoulder and pressed his lips together as he tried to find the words.

"Although it might not sound good to you... the less news I get, the better." Michael replied and Karin dropped back on the bed and slammed into a firm object. Karin lifted her hands and pushed them down underneath the blankets that Nikita had slept in and pulled out the little diary.

"I thought she wanted that..." Karin whispered and Michael licked his lips slowly as he watched Karin flip through the pages. Karin stopped towards the end and gasped.

"She wrote to me." Karin whispered and Michael sat down on the bed next to Karin and waited, hoping that she would be willing to share. Karin trembled as her eyes filled with tears. He lightly grazed her hand and Karin closed her eyes, trying to pull up all the strength that she could.

"It says... 'Karin, please remember that the truth is what was what you found...'... Michael.. I can't read this...." Karin said as she closed the diary and turned her head away. Michael rubbed her back slightly and looked to the door. He still had some time, but he did not want any wise operative walking in on this.

"Ok.... It goes on. 'Take advantage of your situation, as you can... I once was there when I was eight... and at first I was upset, but now figured out it was the only human thing my mother did for me.... Don't let it pass you by...' Michael, what is she talking about?" Karin whispered and Michael blinked his eyes and shook his head. He was going to have to remember this for Madeline, and hoped that Madeline could explain it all.

"I don't know Karin." Michael said in a hushed tone. Karin allowed the tears fall down her face and he dropped his head.

"Is that all?" Michael asked and Karin shook her head back and forth as she trembled again. The words were so etched into the book and Karin leaned her head back as the pain hit her body. She didn't want to lose her sister only to gain a few words.

"She goes on.... 'Trust the one that knows my soul, Karin. Don't guess and don't take it for granite.... In time, maybe.... I must go on... and... please, don't feel for me... one person does that enough.' And that is all." Karin whispered out as she looked at Michael, knowing that the last part was directly about Michael. Karin slowly remembered the events of the night before, how Michael said that he would be the only way that she might possibly have contact to Nikita. She looked at Michael and folded the diary up and handed it to him.

"She left this for you." Michael said as he handed it back, but Karin raised a hand as she shook her head. Michael stopped and looked to the diary.

"What did she sign it with?" Michael questioned and Karin looked to Michael and then paused, hoping that what she was going to say was correct, as she saw that Michael pained from Nikita's absence already.

"With what she always signs the notes for you... 'N.' right?" Karin whispered out and Michael nodded his head up and down. He would have to allow Madeline to view the diary and hope that it gave a clear picture of what was Nikita's childhood. Michael stood up and looked around.

"You will be watched... at least until we can find out who those men were who jumped into the penthouse." Michael said and Karin nodded her head as Michael moved to the door.

"Who is looking for them?" Karin whispered and Michael pressed his lips together. He blinked his eyes and opened the door, knowing that the silent communication was made. Both knew that Nikita had gone off to make that her personal task. Although Karin had overheard those words the night before, Michael's eyes had just made the words right.

Karin sat on the edge of the bed crying as she brought her hands up to her face. She didn't have a concept what she was going to do now. For a while, she had a sister and a friend. She would have rather had just the friend, and that was taken away from her with her need to have a sister. Now she had no one. Karin leaned back and cried some more as the men from Section One, dressed as if they were from the FBI, worked on cleaning up the room that Nikita killed three men. Yet, Karin shook her head, Nikita didn't kill three men, Nikita protected her sister and her niece and nothing else. Karin could never see Nikita as the cold-blooded killer everyone else was going to make her think about.

*

The elevator opened up and three operatives, including Michael, turned and pulled the gun out. They waited as the door slowly pulled open and a man, dressed in a casual sweater and a pair of khakis held up his arms in horror.

"NO! NO! NO!.. I didn't do anything... I just came about Karin!" the man said and Michael motioned for the men to lower their weapons. Michael slid his into the side holster and moved towards the man. Michael looked as he slowly pulled out his wallet and handed it to Michael.

"My name is Tanner Weston... I use to date Karin.. We were going to get married..." Tanner whispered and Michael looked closer to the man, as he looked carefully at Michael. Michael nodded his head and handed the wallet back to the man.

"Mr. Weston, let me explain what occurred here before you talk to Ms. Tethers.... We tracked a terrorist here, who had defected from her own organization... In the process, she had to kill three men from her former group..." Michael said and Tanner blinked his eyes and shook his head.

"OH, poor Karin... When that Nikita called me, I didn't think it was something like this...." Tanner said and Michael blinked his eyes and swallowed the shock of what he was hearing. It was just like Nikita, also.

"Sir, Nikita was posing as her friend.. She was the run away terrorist." Michael stated and Tanner's eyes opened and rubbed his hands up and over his face.

"Dear God, she is all right, right? Please tell me that MY KARIN is all right!" Tanner yelled at Michael and Michael pressed his lips together. The tall man showed his own concern for Karin. He had dark hair, but was thin by any standard.

"Tanner?" Karin whispered as she stepped out of the room and Tanner moved past Michael and grabbed Karin tightly to hug her. He pulled back and took his hands and placed them on her cheeks, studying her body to see if she was all right. Tanner wiped away Karin's tears, and they were only replaced with new ones.

"I shouldn't have left you.... This wouldn't have happened...." Tanner said and Michael looked to Karin. This would be the first test of all the tests yet to come. Nikita had risked her own neck on this one and Michael could only hope that there were no ramifications for her lack of thinking on this move.

"Actually... I'm not fine... but... it isn't because of what this... ah, Nikita.. Did..." Karin said and Tanner nodded his head as Michael started to move the team of Section One operatives out of the penthouse. Karin grabbed Tanner's hand and walked him to the couch.

"Actually... I know she was bad.. And all... but she did something very special... she stopped me.. From... from.." Karin slowly said and then got stuck. Tanner lifted his hand to her cheek and rubbed it softly, and Karin turned her face into his palm. Michael tried to close his eyes, as he did not want to be part of this private moment.

"She stopped me from doing something really stupid...." Karin rushed out with a nervous laugh. Tanner sat by her side, nodding his head, waiting for whatever was going to be coming out of her mouth. He didn't care at this point what she had said. When he heard that voice telling him that Karin was going to need him, he ran, scared out of his mind of what happened to her.

"Tanner.... I'm pregnant." Karin whispered and turned her head away before looking at Tanner's shocked and ecstatic look on his face. Michael knowingly smiled and shook his head. Somehow, from afar, Nikita was impacting life for the best. Michael didn't need to tell Karin how lucky she was that Nikita was there when those men burst into the penthouse, and now, Karin was benefiting from a move that Michael would not have dared to do. He would have made Karin do it.

"I'm going to be a father!" Tanner cheered happily as he turned Karin's head and kissed her cheek. He jumped up and hugged Michael in his enthusiastic cheer for joy. Michael's heart started to clamp down, as he was reminded of a time that he felt the same way, even if it had been Section ordered. Michael watched as Tanner went around the room, telling everyone, although they all already knew. Michael looked to Karin, who was watching the man who loved her, rant and rave like he had just won the lottery. Michael turned his head again, feeling a pain of being alone again. For the past few days he knew where Nikita was and now, it was back to knowing nothing. He picked up his paper work that was used for the cover and then the small diary.

"Ms. Tethers..." Michael called out as Tanner walked over to her. He took one of his hands and pushed one to Michael.

"I know you are on official business... but I am too..." Tanner said as he knelt down in front of Karin. Michael turned his head away and closed his eyes as Tanner's next words came out.

"Karin... please marry me?" Tanner questioned and Karin cried out in joy. Michael slowly opened his eyes as he tried to maintain his control. Nikita should have been here for them, not him. He wasn't part of this family, but for the sake of maybe maintaining communication between the two sisters, which he was sure, that was going to be used, he was going to have to be a liaison of sorts.

"Sorry... Call me Karin." Karin said as she smiled at Michael. She saw the sadness on Michael's eyes and looked to the paper work.

"This is how you can contact us if you hear anything about Nikita. We will be having you discreetly watched and I will personally notify you of updates." Michael said. He lifted the diary and looked to Karin.

"I would like to keep this.." Michael said and Karin nodded her head with a smile. She was sure that the message left inside was less for her and much more for Michael. Maybe Michael would figure out the riddle someday.

"But, Karin.. That's your sister's diary...." Tanner said and Karin turned her head and looked to Tanner. Michael tensed up.

"That's how this Nikita was able to use me... the sister I was looking for was named Nikita.... I was gullible." Karin whispered and Tanner hugged her tightly.

"I'll help you find her.. If you really want to know her...." Tanner said and Karin closed her eyes and bit her lip slightly.

"No, my search is over. I know who my family is now." Karin whispered and Michael stepped out of the penthouse quickly, barely nodding to Karin and motioning the other operatives to follow suit. The elevator closed and Walter looked to Michael and shook his head. He wished he knew Michael better.

Karin pulled away from Tanner's arms and moved to the room that the men had broken in. She was sure that she would not be staying in the penthouse long, but at least until the scent of Nikita was gone. She couldn't live with knowing that just a few feet away from where she slept, her brave, ghost of a sister, killed three men to protect her life. She knew her silence was needed and she swore that she would hold it till a time that she could explain.

*

Things had settled for the most part in Madeline's office as she settled down into her chair. Operations had spent the past hour, going over every detail about the siege of Karin's penthouse, and how Nikita was no where to be found. He was even angrier that the operatives had allowed another civilian to view them in the act of being FBI agents, namely, Mr. Tanner Weston. Madeline did not worry about Operations' words as she thought about other things. She was on the search for the splinter group too, but she felt as if she was four steps behind Nikita, and two steps behind Michael. Luckily for Madeline, Section was probably still about three steps behind herself, yet Madeline had a strong feeling about that, which she did not want to entertain any further.

Madeline knew that her door had opened up as she turned the screen off on her computer. Her head was turning as she got a glimpse at Michael, who had a terrible debriefing with Operations. She turned her head quickly to the paper, trying not to recognize that Michael had entered the office.

Michael looked to Madeline and felt his entire body freeze up. He looked to the little book that he had in his hand and swallowed as his arm began to numb. He slowly raised the arm and watched as he dropped the diary that had been Nikita's drop to Madeline's desk to, moving slowly, as it seemed to float in the air. For moments, Michael wanted to reach out and stop it, as he was unsure what Madeline would do with the information that it contained.

Madeline snapped back as a book landed loudly on her desk. It was at that moment, Michael shook his head, in almost defeat. Maybe the meaning of what Nikita had said in that diary entry was beyond Michael, but he needed a meaning to it. He felt as if he was letting Nikita down if he didn't know what the entry meant. He was almost defeated, but he wasn't going to give up, and to fight, he had to allow Madeline to help.

Madeline blinked her eyes as she looked at the book and then to Michael. It took a few moments for Madeline to even realize what she had in her hands as her fingers touched the cover. Then, brilliantly, she smiled.

"Oh my, it's the diary!" Madeline exclaimed as she pulled it up into her hands and looked up at Michael. Michael frowned and moved away from Madeline.

"You can stop smiling like a kid at Christmas.. It isn't a present." Michael rudely commented as he glared at Madeline's happy smile. She dropped it instantly, as she heard Michael's words. Madeline looked to it and sat it off to the side, and Michael jumped back towards her.

"No.. You have to read the end... She added to it." Michael commented and Madeline raised an eyebrow. Madeline picked the diary back up and frowned as she flipped to the back. She would have loved to read this at the leisure, but something had immensely bothered Michael about that last entry.

"It's like a riddle, and I can't figure it out." Michael commented before Madeline read a word. She dropped her head and tried to read and understand at the same time. She felt the pressure from Michael, as he needed answers. She blinked her eyes and then started to think of the words. Suddenly, the dawning arrived and Madeline shook her head as she closed her eyes, knowing the meaning of Nikita's cryptic words.

"Madeline... you are scaring me.." Michael commented and Madeline pressed her lips together and sighed as she rubbed the book in her hands. She swallowed and raised her eyes up to Michael, with the warning on them that he was not going to like what she had to say. She was met with Michael's eyes that spoke to her that he was expecting the worse, but he hadn't expected Madeline's own emotional response. She had tended to approach everything so detached from the events and the person, that this was shaking his core.

"Ok... my concern... No, my knowledge from the statement that Nikita wrote, 'Take advantage of your situation, as you can... I once was there when I was eight... and at first I was upset, but now figured out it was the only human thing my mother did for me' Michael is terrifying." Madeline stated and Michael shook his head as he sat down at the chair and reached out to the desk.

"I don't know what it means!" Michael huffed out and Madeline nodded her head slowly. She dropped her head and blinked her eyes as she could not phantom anyone doing this to their own daughter.

"Karin is currently pregnant... I would say that Nikita, when she was eight... was pregnant.." Madeline said and then stopped as she turned her head. Those words echoed in her mind as she tried to form the next words.

"And then... her mother gave her an abortion..." Madeline added on, before she lifted her head to look at Michael with her expressive face. She was met with Michael's white face, staring at her like she had just pulled out the worst thing in the world, yet, it could be. It gave an exact problem that caused Nikita, and in doing so, started to define her childhood.

"We would have had records of the abortion..." Michael commented and Madeline shook her head from side to side and then reached for Michael's noticeably trembling hands. For anyone, it would be disturbing to hear that a person would do all the abuse to their child, but to get it to the point of having to abort a baby, to never have protected the child up to that point of all the other things, was disgusting.

"Michael... if they would have gone to a doctor.... Nikita would have been removed... and Nikita's mother was using Nikita for financial gain.. At least we think that.... Her mother probably took care if it herself, in not such a humane manner." Madeline said, regaining her composure. She looked to the screen and sighed. Knowing what Nikita had gone through, she silently prayed that Nikita just disappeared. She could go unfound by Section, if she didn't proceed with the splinter group mission. It was what was best for Nikita, but then Madeline stopped. She wasn't sure if Nikita could find the will within herself to continue living again, even if there were innocents out there for her to protect. She looked to Michael and knew that it had to be addressed.

"Michael..." Madeline said and he pulled his tired head up, looking like the knowledge had aged him twenty years as he sat there. Madeline pulled her hand away and assumed her professional manner.

"Did you say good-bye to her this time?" Madeline questioned and Michael leapt up from his chair, knowing where Madeline was heading with this. Michael stared at her and allowed his anger to seep into his green eyes, turning them almost black.

"No.... She will be back..." Michael said firmly and Madeline pressed her lips together and shook her head. She couldn't believe enough to say that she would.

"Michael, it may have been enough... and we might never know what will happen to her...." Madeline said and Michael shook his head back and forth and Madeline pressed her lips together. Yes, she knew that love was strong, but she was not sure that love could bring Nikita back to this. Whatever she was doing, was not under Madeline's careful control. She was not going to be able to monitor Nikita, like she should be after such an emotional stress in her life was revealed.

"We don't know where she is... who the next target it.. And how she is getting her information.. How do we know that she is going to protect the next target? How can we be sure, Michael? We have to look at all the possibilities and there is a strong possibility that she may self-destruct and there is a possibility that she will drop off the face of the earth. She did it before." Madeline said and Michael sat down in the chair, utterly defeated, knowing that Madeline was telling the truth and with the concerns on what happened if Madeline was right.

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