"Yes." Nikita admitted in a low voice and Birkoff reached out for her and sadly stroked her hand.

"Nikita... you know about missions..." Birkoff said and Nikita started to lift her chin with a smile on her face.

"He said it in his office..... Twice." Nikita said and Birkoff pulled away and shook his head. Michael admitting an emotional attachment to Nikita within the walls of Section One was unthinkable. Birkoff blinked and stared at Nikita.

"He had the security off, right?" Birkoff questioned and Nikita shrugged her shoulders. Both of them knew that Michael pushing the few buttons in his office didn't mean he would be free from security. Anyone could have had a listening device pointed towards Michael's office and heard every word.

"I don't know, Birkoff. But it doesn't matter. He said the words." Nikita said and Birkoff nodded his head, conflicted with emotions. He was kind of disappointed that Michael finally said the words, as it meant that Michael was probably going to end up with Nikita. Yet, he was truly happy for Nikita, as the girl deserved some happiness in her life for all the hell Section One had put her through.

"Did anything else happen that I should know about?" Birkoff questioned and Nikita started to turn red and Birkoff shook his head.

"NO!" Birkoff exclaimed and Nikita dropped her head and covered her face with her hands, knowing that Birkoff could tell that what the something was.

"Yes." Nikita said and Birkoff shook his head and then smiled.

"You really hit the jackpot... When, where, how?" Birkoff sputtered out and Nikita laughed as she grabbed Birkoff's hand and lightly kissed it.

"Birkoff... I'm not giving you the details. I didn't ask for the details between you and Gail." Nikita said and Birkoff rolled his eyes and swallowed. It didn't matter if Nikita asked for the details, because Gail had gone and told every female in Section One what was going on.

"Nikita!" Birkoff exclaimed and Nikita sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Birkoff... it was in the whirlpool.. And Mrs. Papappas ran into the room when... we were very close to.." Nikita said and then strayed off.

"MORE DETAILS THAN WHAT I NEEDED!" Birkoff sang out as he covered his ears. Nikita smiled and nodded her head and grabbed those ears.

"You better stop that boy! I'm going to have to teach you a lesson!" Nikita said as she started to tickle the young man. Birkoff squirmed and laughed loudly at Nikita, as she knew that his armpits were a tender area for him. She attacked and Birkoff screamed with delight.

"UNCLE!!! UNCLE!!" Birkoff cried out and soon both operatives were on the couch with tears of happiness streaming down their faces. Nikita sighed and leaned her head back on the couch. Maybe it was good that she told Birkoff, as there was so much more she could tell him since he accepted this.

*

The night was deep into its cycle as Nikita opened the door to the guest bedroom and then stepped back. She looked over her shoulder and walked back down the stairs to were Birkoff was staring at the television, seeming to be half aware of what was going on around.

"Birkoff, there is no bed in the spare room. Where am I to sleep?" Nikita questioned and Birkoff pulled his head up with a yawn pulling across his face. He shook his head and then stood up.

"Upstairs. In my bed." Birkoff said as he started to trudge up the stairs. Nikita wasn't sure what Birkoff was playing, but she didn't mind. Birkoff knew where Nikita's feelings were and knew that Michael would easily kill him if he stepped over the line. Birkoff turned the light on and showed the room to Nikita.

"I love this room. You have a skylight!" Nikita said as she walked over to the bed and flopped down on the bed, fully clothed and looked at Birkoff. He nodded his head as he pulled at the sheets and moved to the little changing area to get rid of his clothing and pull on his flannel pajamas.

Nikita took the opportunity to switch out of the T-shirt into a longer black one. She pulled it over her head and lifted it to her nose and inhaled. She closed her eyes and she could almost feel Michael standing right behind her, about to wrap his arms around her and nuzzle her neck. Nikita dropped her head to the side and did not notice Birkoff walking out and heading to the bed.

"Michael's shirt? You really are his woman now." Birkoff commented and Nikita pulled her head up from the thoughts and giggled softly. She looked up to the skylight and sighed. How she wished that Michael was with her now. There was a long pause before she turned and pulled off the sweat pants.

"Oh my god." Birkoff cried out as he saw the deep black bruises on Nikita's lower thigh and calf. Nikita pulled at the shirt and slipped underneath the covers silently. She had been able to pretend they weren't there when she was with Michael, because he didn't mention them. Birkoff was staring and he continued to stare as Nikita pulled the sheet over her body.

"I'm sorry, Nikita... I heard about them... I just never pictured them like that..." Birkoff said as Nikita pushed her head back against the pillow and stared up at the night sky that was about the shade of her leg. She closed her eyes and swallowed, trying to gain a peace of mind by finding Michael's scent in the shirt that was warmly around her body.

"Let's not talk about it Birkoff." Nikita said firmly as she turned her head away from the skylight and swallowed. She didn't want to think about them. Yet, in Birkoff's attempt to get out of what he saw brought her back to the horror that Nikita had been concentrating on not thinking about.

The nightmares had slowed and at first Nikita were sure that it was because she was getting over them. Yet, when the one night, Michael slide Nikita into bed by herself, because she had drifted off during a boring episode of Walter Texas Ranger, the nightmare was back as strong as ever. Michael had pulled her out of it, but he hadn't been in bed with her. It was stupid for Nikita to think that the nightmare was tied to his presence in bed with her, but in her mind that made all the difference in the world.

"Birkoff... you should know I still have nightmares." Nikita slowly revealed and Birkoff rolled up and sat against the headboard of the bed. He looked down at Nikita clutched the pillow and rubbed her hair softly.

"Please, Birkoff, don't try to act like Michael." Nikita said firmly and Birkoff dropped his head and swallowed. He wasn't trying to act like Michael but then he realized that a few times he had seen little snip-bits of Michael doing that motion on Nikita. He swallowed and pulled his hand away.

"First time away from Michael since he said he loved you?" Birkoff questioned with a tinge of hate on his voice. It was something that did not get past Nikita as she turned and looked at Birkoff as he stewed in bed. Nikita reached out and touched Birkoff's hands, needing to know if this was because of something that Michael did or something else.

Birkoff didn't realize that Nikita was starting to get very perceptive as she stared into his eyes. He was thinking that Nikita was trying to balance her anger, but she was not. She looked into his eyes and saw that it was not her presence or her relationship with Birkoff that was bothering him. She found that Birkoff was trying to keep Nikita from seeing something else, and as she lifted herself up from the bed she found what he had been trying to hide.

"You care for her." Nikita carefully, but bluntly said as she looked at Birkoff. He tried to move away from her glare, but he could not do so as he swallowed and looked at Nikita. He ached to know how Nikita just knew. He wondered if Nikita knew personal relationships and feelings that well that she knew by looking at him.

"Birkoff... We have to talk about this... It's only going to make you hurt more... You can't dream about Samantha." Nikita said and Birkoff turned her head off to the side and swallowed as it felt like acid was trickling down his throat. He couldn't find the words to say as he shook his head. He didn't want to give up on Samantha. There had to be a way for him to get the fingerprints and have a real and honest relationship with Samantha and now Nikita had popped that balloon.

"I want her, Nikita... She makes me happy. I want Eric to be my little brother.. I want Samantha." Birkoff said and Nikita blinked her eyes and turned down to look at her own hands. She hated to do this to Birkoff being so young and just starting out in his interpersonal relationships. Birkoff didn't have to be shunned away of liking women; he just had to be pushed away from this girl. Nikita flipped onto her back and closed her eyes, thinking of a way to say what she needed to say without upsetting Birkoff too much.

"Birkoff... When I was with Michael in that little town... I hit some really low places... So when I found my body being protected by Michael and I found that my tear had stopped, I claimed that I never wanted to leave that moment.... And Michael, being the Michael he is, showed me that I was so wrong." Nikita slowly explained as she sighed as the tears started to roll down her eyes.

"Was this after a nightmare?" Birkoff questioned and Nikita turned her head and looked at Birkoff. For a while she could have pinpointed the memory, but now the other things that happened before and after were starting to fade away, and Nikita could remember Michael holding her and the words.

"Honestly, I don't remember... I think I was crying... I was sure of that." Nikita stammered out. She pushed her hand down into the sheets and rolled her head back to stare out of the skylight.

"Birkoff... He told me that I was selling myself short. That there was a happy moment that I dreamed about out there, that was so much more than being in bed, letting my tears dry, and being in his arms. In short, he allowed me to find that I could still dream." Nikita said and Birkoff looked at Nikita and dropped his head.

"I don't dream, Nikita. I just know what I want." Birkoff said and Nikita turned and looked at his innocent face. He still looked young, as if he didn't age at all. Nikita rubbed his face and sighed as she struggled with the words.

"You dream, Birkoff. Sometimes Section makes you lose them. You have to find them again." Nikita firmly stated as the three tears started to roll out of her eyes, each finding another and different path to take. Birkoff looked at Nikita and saw that she really believed what she was saying, but for Birkoff, who worked in a world of figures and numbers, the abstract was beyond what he could understand and grasp.

"Nikita, what is that moment that you dream for?" Birkoff questioned and Nikita smiled and started to rub the knuckles of her left hand with her right hand fingertips. She looked at the whiteness that it formed, not sure that if she could share this with Birkoff. She had already shared too much with him, but she looked at Birkoff's eyes as they studied her. She was his living example. He had to make him believe that dreams still existed, even in those people who were inside of Section. She had to show and make him know that he still dreamed and he could still be happy.

"Well... that night, it was very vague... I wanted to be on a beach, holding the hand of a man who knew my past and my present and I knew his past and present and that we both knew we loved each other." Nikita said and Birkoff sighed softly.

"Michael." He finally stated and Nikita contently smiled as the mentioning of his name brought the mental image of Michael to Nikita's mind again, which only added to grow to the smile on her face.

"Has it changed?" Birkoff questioned after some silence that seemed to hang in the room like the plague suddenly hit it. Nikita blinked her eyes and wiped at her tears.

"It got more defined... I see me as being older... with gray hair... And Michael has aged too, with the gray charming his hair... And we are walking down the beach, hand in hand, like the lovers we had been for many years... And we discuss our first grandchild, as it was being named after us... Nickolas Michael... And how our love has never changed...." Nikita said and drifted off, to get lost in her own image to notice that Birkoff was smiling at the image. It was something that the young man wanted not only for Nikita, but also Michael. It was hard to believe that someone who worked in Section so long could still dream such vivid thoughts and dreams, that she knew what Michael looked like and what she looked like. Birkoff was sure that Nikita could even see that grandchild. In that dream, it gave birth to hope.

"Do you have a dream, Birkoff?" Nikita questioned as she finally turned her head after sometime of playing lazily with the image of her dream in her mind. Birkoff looked and Nikita and found his throat constricting. Even though he knew for some time that Nikita could never be his, he was still a dream, until this moment when Nikita's dream became a living image for Birkoff. He couldn't suit Nikita as a lover, that he was destined to be her best friend for all the time they would know each other. Nikita's grandchild would not and never would be his grandchild. But it only momentarily pained Birkoff to realize that the dream was dead, because he smiled and saw that another dream was coming to life. In the new one, he also found hope and joy.

"Yes.... A small one." Birkoff said and Nikita smiled and nodded her head. The small ones were always the easiest to start with and then bigger ones could grow from that. Nikita smiled and sighed. "Care to share?"

"I want to go to Cancun." Birkoff said and Nikita laughed and reached for Birkoff. She smiled and rubbed his head playfully and sighed.

"I wish I had dreams like that! Those dreams are meant to come true!" Nikita said and Birkoff dropped his head with a blush. Nikita sighed and leaned back in the pillow. The sigh was heavy and Birkoff looked at Nikita and rolled over onto his nightstand and pulled his cell phone out.

"Why don't you call Michael?" Birkoff said as he dropped the cell phone on Nikita's stomach. She sat up and looked at the phone. Her fingers were playing with the buttons and Birkoff looked at her.

"See... I don't want you to have a nightmare on me... I'm not big and strong like Michael and I won't be able to stop them... So you call him now and have a mushy talk!" Birkoff said as he stood up and walked out of the room. Nikita blinked her eyes and nodded her head. Birkoff was growing up before her eyes and she couldn't have been prouder.

*

Birkoff walked into the library as the rain poured outside. He looked around and sighed, as even Gertrude wasn't there yet. He walked back the room with the computer and sat down.

Nikita did have a nightmare last night, even though Birkoff had tried to stop it from occurring. Michael didn't sound surprised when Birkoff called him, telling him that Nikita was in throws of a fit. Michael sighed and told Birkoff to put her on the line. Birkoff didn't want to eavesdrop, but about and hour later, Michael was finally released from the phone call and Nikita quickly went back to sleep.

Birkoff didn't know how Nikita could do it, as just a couple hours later; she woke up and stole out of the house to the limo, just as planned, before Birkoff could get a cup of coffee past his lips. He didn't know if Samantha had seen her leave or not, but at this point, Birkoff didn't care. He needed the mission to work.

"We have to talk, Birkoff." Eric said as he turned the corner and Birkoff snapped around quickly. Birkoff didn't expect the young boy to come in first, as he was hoping that it would be Samantha. Eric walked in and closed the door, as he appeared as if he walked the entire way here in the rain.

"What about? Aren't you suppose to be in school?" Birkoff questioned and Eric rolled his eyes and he looked at Birkoff.

"You answer, me, Birkoff. Do I really have to be in school?" Eric responded and Birkoff sighed. He knew that Eric was now upset about Nikita, although he didn't seem to be approaching the subject.

"Look, Eric... I know several times you told me that I am perfect for your sister... But I want you to know, what everyone things me and Nikita are, is wrong." Birkoff said and Eric rolled his eyes.

"I'm not here to talk about Nikita! I'm here to talk about me! I want to be a boy! I don't want to be a molecular physicist or a world-renowned doctor for his knew techniques for replacing hearts! I don't want to go away!" Eric screamed and Birkoff blinked his eyes and looked at Eric. Something had occurred in the day he spent with Nikita, parading around the town.

"What are you talking about, Eric?" Birkoff questioned and Eric rolled his eyes and sighed as he sat down on the carpeted floor. Birkoff sighed, as he didn't like being above Eric, so he moved down to the floor with Eric, seeing that the boy might just need a friend.

"Well... Samantha was too busy following you around last night... When my parents told me I had to make up my mind which school I am going to, so they can decided my major for me!" Eric cried out and Birkoff shook his head. He hated what some parents did to their children. It wasn't right to do it to normal children, but it was worse when it was being done with geniuses. Just because Eric was a genius didn't mean he didn't want to be a baseball player and that he didn't want to go to the Prom. He probably wanted a normal job, or maybe he wanted to go to school to become an artist or an actor. Why should he be limited right now?

"They can't make you do anything, Eric." Birkoff said and Eric shook his head and dropped it finally.

"They are my parents. They did it to Samantha." Eric said and Birkoff nodded his head. He had been thinking about the relationship. It wasn't rare to have two intelligent kids, but it was rare to have two extremely intelligent kids from the same parents. Birkoff looked to Eric and sighed.

"When did they do that to Samantha?" Birkoff questioned and Eric rolled his eyes.

"Before I was going to be born. Forced her into some sort of biological program." Eric said and Birkoff nodded his head.

"Look...I have some things I have to do... and I hear that it is going to stop raining by noon... why don't we go learn to do something new this afternoon?" Birkoff questioned and Eric's eyes lit up with hunger.

"What?" Eric questioned and Birkoff ran his fingers against his chin and then smiled.

"We'll learn to roller blade. Just like all those other kids, ok?" Birkoff said and Eric nodded his head. Birkoff watched as he prepared himself to go back to school. Birkoff watched as he left and entered the pouring rain again.

Birkoff had a hunch and he started to work quickly. He pulled out the palm computer and hooked it into the telephone line. If Gertrude was in the library, she would leave him alone, she seemed to be scared of the computer and she still didn't know what Birkoff was talking about when she was round.

Birkoff hacked into the files and was starting to make some headway in some of the medical files that he was looking for. He heard the door behind him and flipped the little lid down on the palm computer, as it didn't exist out in the world he felt like he was visiting right now.

"Adding a journal entry about Nikita?" Samantha questioned and Birkoff turned to Samantha and sighed. He saw the pain in her eyes and he wanted to tell her the truth right there and then. He wanted to hold her in his arms and tell her that the only person he wanted to be with was her. Yet, Nikita's words forcefully came back to him. Samantha wasn't in his dreams. He knew that she was not his future. She was a mission.

"Samantha... Nikita and I are friends... that's all." Birkoff said and Samantha waved her arms around and he narrowed his eyes as she shook her head.

"Why are you here? Don't you have a job today?" Birkoff questioned and Samantha rolled her eyes and stared at Birkoff. She didn't care what Birkoff thought of her anymore, and she was sure that Birkoff did have some common sense. He had to sense that she was doing something else.

"I'm going to my lab.... At least I do something with my intelligence and I don't try to pretend that I'm not screwing the Australian beauty queen because you want to get to the local girl who is as pretty as her fingernails because you want a little brother!" Samantha screamed out loudly as she turned and left. Birkoff looked and her and pulled out a pencil.

She was wearing a necklace that had an emblem of sorts on it and then it was on the back of her rain jacket that she had. He quickly reproduced the emblem on the piece of paper and pressed it to the small screen. He laughed, as he loved his new technology. Before Birkoff could even lift the lid, the palm computer was running the image through the databases.

Creating Life Genetic Corps, Vernsville Headquarters.

Birkoff lifted his eyes and sent the information off to Madeline; not sure if this was something that was attached to their need to get Samantha's fingerprints. Yet, Birkoff still didn't feel right about the whole thing and that was when he saw that the same place that Samantha was working for, appeared in her parent's medical files.

Eric wasn't a baby produced. He was created. Birkoff shut the computer off and shook his head as he thought about the word he had read. Samantha started to work because she found a way to push the genius qualities into the fetus so that the baby becomes a genius. Birkoff swallowed. Samantha created her brother, not her parents.

Birkoff picked up the phone and dialed quickly. He all of a sudden didn't care about Samantha. She was a monster before she was a teen. She had made her brother and now he was living in a hell that he didn't want to be in. He wanted to be a little boy. Birkoff shuttered at the thought and swallowed. It wasn't right.

"Birkoff, what's wrong?" Walter said and Birkoff swallowed as he pushed the buttons on his computer, sending Walter everything that he had found out, not able to speak about what he found.

"It's time to end this game with Nikita.... Send me the tabloids and get me out of here." Birkoff said quickly and Walter clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth. He had known Birkoff for a long time and knew that this Birkoff was upset about something. When Birkoff was upset, he ran away and he was definitely trying to run away.

"You want me to send the article about the French actor now?" Walter questioned and he heard Birkoff's breathless yes before he could get the sentence out. Walter swallowed and sighed.

"Are you going to tell me what is going on?" Walter questioned and Birkoff closed his eyes and pulled at some books. He was going to have to numb his mind after this.

"I sent you the information. You know how to read." Birkoff snapped out and Walter rolled his eyes, hearing that Birkoff was almost ready to panic.

"Hey, little bud, do you want me to send Nikita in? You sound kind of like you need some help." Walter said slowly, trying to calm Birkoff down.

"I could kill her. Do you think we can change the mission's profile?" Birkoff questioned and Walter grabbed the phone and moved back deep away from hallway where anyone could hear him. He needed to save Birkoff from himself now.

"Look, Birkoff... I don't know what you found out... but just get the fingerprints and get out." Walter said and Birkoff leaned his head back and sighed. Walter was right.

"Walter... Can I ask you a question?" Birkoff asked and Walter swallowed, not sure if he bought the sudden calmness that Birkoff had.

"What is it, bud?" Walter questioned.

"What is this thing between Michael and Nikita? I mean, Michael didn't even moan when Nikita called him last night after her nightmare." Birkoff said and Walter sighed. Walter never knew what to expect from Birkoff. Right now he felt like he was in the middle of a ping-pong game. He was going to do what Birkoff asked for, but now, Walter wasn't. He was going to march his body over to Madeline's office and wait for orders. He was going to tell her everything, except about Nikita's nightmare and step away from this mess. Walter was ashamed of Madeline doing this to Birkoff. Highly disappointed.

"Birkoff, worry about yourself. I have to go." Walter said and hung up. He didn't like what was going on. He wasn't just going to Madeline to save his butt, but because he knew that if something more was going on, Madeline could intervene. She didn't want these operatives hurt on these missions and she needed them to be done. Walter felt guilty for doing so, but he needed to talk to someone and since Michael, Nikita, and Birkoff were all tied to that Vernsville right now, Madeline was all that was left.

*

"Remember to put those knee pads on." Birkoff said as he sat on the stairs of the Gazebo in the town quarter. Eric was sitting next to him, looking at the various pieces that came in the set of accessories for the roller blades that Birkoff had happily purchased for them. Eric pulled out some of the pads and looked at Birkoff.

"Do you know which one is the knee pad?" Eric asked and Birkoff looked and laughed as he pulled at his own pads. He blinked, as they all seemed to be the same. Birkoff shrugged his shoulders and started to suit up, knowing that if he was wrong, he would probably learn sooner or later.

"Do I have to wear the helmet?" Eric whined and Birkoff turned and looked at Eric. It was part of his deal with Eric. He would buy the roller blades and all if Eric promised to where the helmet. Birkoff looked to the boy and saw that he wasn't just going to take Birkoff's words as being true. Like Nikita did with him last night, Birkoff needed to be a living example of what should be done, or at least give Eric a better reason.

"Look, Eric... It might not be the same.. But I know that my one of my cherished friends... he is like an uncle to me... rides Harley's and he wears his helmet." Birkoff said and Eric rolled his eyes.

"Birkoff... Harleys are different." Eric cried out and Birkoff looked to Eric and played with his hair. Birkoff tried not to look sad as he looked at Eric. He was a boy that didn't know what his sister did to him. How his sister helped to create who he was, into a boy that he might not have chosen to be himself. It was her manipulation of his genetic material that created him into a boy that Birkoff was sure was suffering oppression from his parents in order to make him like his sister. If they all knew what kind of emotional suffering they were placing on Eric and how he wanted to be a boy.

"Look, Eric... He got in an accident about seven years ago... I was young... But I remember that it didn't look good. The only reason he is alive today is because he wore a helmet. I know this is roller blading, but anything could happen.. And it's better to be safe than sorry." Birkoff said, repeating the cliché that made Eric roll his eyes. Yet the boy noticed Birkoff's passionate plead and placed the helmet on his head.

Eric was ready to roll. He stood up and promptly fell down onto his butt. Eric looked at Birkoff as he laughed. "I don't see you trying, yet."

Birkoff rolled his eyes and pulled his helmet on his head a strapped it down tightly. He looked around and stood up. Birkoff was proud. He was standing up on the roller blades; he had made it more than Eric had. Birkoff tried to move and that was when he promptly fell down.

Eric laughed happily as Birkoff tried to get his feet underneath of him and continued to fall. It was like a blooper show right in the town quarter. Birkoff rolled his eyes as he finally got up to his feet and started to roll off.

"LOOK!" Birkoff happily cried out and promptly fell down, as he couldn't stop himself from running into the bushes. Eric rolled onto his knees and laughed loudly.

Nikita raised an eyebrow and looked at Birkoff as he struggled to get his body out of the bush. Nikita walked over and pulled him back up to his feet. Nikita made Birkoff hold her arm as she turned him around and took him back to the steps of the Gazebo where Eric had dragged his body.

"You need help." Nikita said and Birkoff nodded his head. He looked over and saw that the limo had pulled up. He was sure that Michael was in there that was the plan to get Nikita out of the town in the quickest way possible.

"Ok, Birkoff... Here is what I am going to do. One at a time... We are going to go around the Gazebo, and I'm going to walk beside you, so you don't fall. Then the next one will get a turn." Nikita said and the two boys nodded their heads. Nikita looked at Birkoff and pointed to his knees.

"I'm going to take Eric first. Your elbow pads are on your knees." Nikita said as she reached out for Eric's hand. Eric pushed off and held Nikita's hand tightly as he threatened to fall down. Nikita smiled and helped the boy pull his body up into a balanced position. Eric pushed his foot again and Nikita smiled. Eric was going to get the hang of this quickly. She smiled as Eric looked up at Nikita.

"I never did something like this before... My parents would never buy me sports equipment because sports dull the mind." Eric said and Nikita blinked her eyes. That was the exact opposite. Sports expanded the knowledge and agility. It expanded hand to eye coordination and gave a deeper meaning to spatial relationships. It also built confidence, which was needed in any career.

"I wouldn't believe everything my parents say. My mom told me that I was ugly." Nikita said and Eric looked at Nikita and laughed.

"You are joking me." Eric said and Nikita raised her hands, leaving Eric go for a little, seeing that he was handling himself quite well and smiled.

"I swear... Look at you go!" Nikita exclaimed and Eric smiled and turned the corner and found his way to the steps before Nikita turned and looked at Birkoff. Eric smiled and slapped Birkoff's hand. Nikita looked to Eric and sighed.

"Do you want me to get my driver out so you have someone to talk too? I think Birkoff isn't going to catch on as well..." Nikita questioned as she looked at Birkoff. She knew how hard it was to get Birkoff to stand good enough to shoot a gun.

"Nope...I'm fine." Eric said as Nikita helped Birkoff stand up. She knew that right away this was going to be a long way around this Gazebo, as Birkoff had no sense of balance. Nikita shook her head and started to walk, supporting Birkoff almost entirely.

"Birkoff... his parents are abusing the hell out of him." Nikita whispered and Birkoff fell as he looked at Nikita. Nikita rolled her eyes and pulled Birkoff back up to his feet.

"He isn't getting abused. He doesn't have a bruise on him." Birkoff said, as he looked around, afraid that Eric would hear them. Nikita shook her head and Birkoff turned away and promptly fell. Nikita looked at Birkoff and shook her head.

"Please tell me you are falling in order to have more time to talk to me." Nikita hissed out and Birkoff boyishly grinned at Nikita.

"I wish that was the case." Birkoff responded and Nikita closed her eyes as Birkoff pulled his way off of the ground by pulling at Nikita's shirt. Nikita steadied him and swallowed.

"Birkoff... there are a lot of types of abuse... We all know the physical and the sexual.. But emotional and mental abuse is just as bad, if not worse. Sometimes one doesn't know that it is happening." Nikita said and Birkoff swallowed. He knew that Eric's parents were trying to mold him into something he didn't want to be, but never thought of it as abuse. Birkoff's parents sold him from company to company and he didn't think he was being abused.

"But only the psychologists see it as abuse." Birkoff said and Nikita sighed and shook her head.

"I thought you were the law nut, Birkoff... In the states... Wow... The law sees as abuse of any kind as being abuse.. Unless you're the president." Nikita said and Birkoff nodded his head and giggled at Nikita's last comment.

Birkoff spent rest of the long trip around the Gazebo, holding onto Nikita's arm. Yet, he was deep in thought. He knew that the medical files he had could never be used in court. The procedure that Samantha helped her parents do, didn't claim to have a high success rate, although, Birkoff was sure that they made the figures look bad in order to hide her brother.

"Birkoff, what took so long?" Eric laughed as Nikita helped Birkoff down to the steps. She smiled and looked at Birkoff.

"Why don't we skate to the library?" Birkoff questioned and Nikita rolled her eyes and started to take off the roller blades from Birkoff. She smiled and sat down and put the roller blades on herself.

"I'm skating.. You can help Eric." Nikita said as she pushed off as she wrapped the helmet around her head. She turned around and waved at Birkoff and Eric as Eric started to move slowly. Birkoff shook his head and trudged off to the library, realizing that he wasn't meant to roller blade.

Once everyone made it to the library, and the limo pulled across the street, Nikita and Eric shared a soda as they pulled off the roller blades and padding. Nikita laughed and stood up and looked as Birkoff was digging through the books.

"Birkoff... I have a package for you..." Nikita said and Birkoff looked to Nikita and kissed her cheeks softly.

"I'll get it in a few moments... I want to show Eric something..." Birkoff said and Nikita nodded and moved out of the library, off to the limo. Birkoff waited for Eric to walk in and look at Birkoff.

"We just got these new books in... The one is about emotional abuse.. Might be a good paper for you in school.. And we got this new law book.. About how people are starting to be their own lawyers.. And fighting for what they need to be done..." Birkoff said as he set the books on the table. Eric looked to Birkoff and shook his head.

"My parents don't believe in psychology, Birkoff." Eric said and Birkoff raised his eyebrows and whistled. He saw Gertrude turn around and stare at him.

"Wow... psychology is the best thing to read about... It helps explain who we are... why we have emotions and all that... But I understand if you don't want to upset your parents..." Birkoff said as he pulled the book away. Eric grabbed it and blinked his eyes. Birkoff could tell that Eric must have entertained this thought before. Birkoff looked as Eric smiled.

"I can hide it. I have a lot of books that look like this one." Eric said and Birkoff nodded his head as Eric took the two books and walked over to his little desk. Birkoff nodded his head. He couldn't spare himself from the world that he lived in, but Eric; he might have a chance if he was as smart as he appeared.

*

Nikita tapped at the limo window and smiled as Michael rolled down the window. She bent in and kissed Michael softly on the lips. She motioned for him to get out of the limo and to walk with her. Michael looked around and Nikita smiled.

"Birkoff really is getting bothered by the town... he should be able to get out of her by tomorrow." Nikita said and Michael nodded his head as he stepped out of the car and played with the hat he was wearing. Nikita adjusted the hat and then played with the slight curls of his hair.

"Madeline won't like that." Michael commented and Nikita nodded her head and took Michael's hand into hers. Birkoff had placed the tabloids out this morning and today was the day for Nikita's 'real' boyfriend to be found. Nikita started to walk down the street with Michael.

"He isn't meant for missions, Michael. This one hit home." Nikita said and Michael lifted his head and looked at Nikita. He sighed and touched her chin.

"Did he tell you that his parents sold him into Section One?" Michael questioned and he watched as Nikita's eye bulged with that information. Nikita shook her head as the tears threatened again. She looked down the street as Michael played with her fingers carefully as they crossed the street.

"For ten million dollars." Michael finished and Nikita leaned her head back and sighed. Now everything was making sense. Eric needed help, to see what he wanted. Birkoff was so happy last night when he bounced in his room saying how Eric said he didn't want to be a doctor, that he wanted to either be a writer or write and program computer games. Nikita was happy too.

"Birkoff helped that boy, Michael. Eric. Do you know that the young boy, barely ten, wrote a legal document in one day, in order to separate himself from his parents?" Nikita said and Michael looked to Nikita and blinked.

"It would be hard. He is ten, how would he support himself?" Michael questioned and Nikita smiled.

"That's the brilliant part, he is arguing that his parents must pay support... it's a long shot, but Michael, the boy is brilliant and just wants the chance to make up his own mind. He wouldn't be doing any of that had it not been for Birkoff." Nikita said with an admiring voice. Michael turned and sighed.

Michael reached for her and saw her face flinch a little. It was a movement that was starting to bother Michael bit by bit. It seemed to be growing in its frequency and Nikita never mentioned it. He didn't even know if Nikita knew she did that. He touched her face and smiled.

"You kind of did that, when you ran away." Michael said and Nikita laughed.

"I also learned how to use drugs after I ran away, Michael." Nikita said and Michael nodded his head and kissed Nikita's forehead tenderly.

"How are the bruises?" Michael asked and Nikita rolled up her sleeve and Michael blinked his eyes. He rubbed the skin and then looked down to her leg.

"They disappeared last night. Walter made an adjustment in one of the elements and they disappeared. I reported it, and Madeline placed me on standby." Nikita said and she watched Michael close his eyes. She smiled and touched his lips lightly.

"You are upset?" Nikita questioned and Michael looked at Nikita with his eyes. He shook his head no as his eyes told Nikita another very different story. Nikita smiled and leaned up and kissed his lips tenderly. She pulled away and looked down the street.

"We have today... and maybe tomorrow... One at a time, right, Michael?" Nikita questioned and Michael nodded his head and cupped her chin lightly in his hands. He looked into her eyes and Nikita smiled back at a new Michael that had been forming since she saw Michael in the house that Mrs. Papappas owned.

"I don't want just one day at a time." Michael said and Nikita reached out and touched his forehead softly. She walked her fingers down his nose and to his lips. He lightly kissed the fingertips and Nikita dropped her head lightly.

"Sounds like you have a dream." Nikita said and Michael nodded his head as they approached the empty Gazebo in the town quarter. Nikita looked at Michael as he pulled her hand and dragged her up the stairs. Nikita knew they had to be public today, they needed to run into Samantha, make the tabloid story true. Yet, she couldn't deny this from Michael and she didn't want to deny this for Michael.

Michael grabbed the hat off and placed it on the bench as he placed Nikita down on the bench. At first, he stood, holding Nikita to his chest and stomach, like was afraid that Nikita was going to disappear in front of his eyes. He stroked her hair softly and then sat down on the bench, taking Nikita's hands into his. He could tell from her hands how fast her heart was beating with anticipation, that she was scared and nervous, and worried and excited with each and every beat. Michael's heart felt the same.

"I finally saw it last night.... My dream." Michael softly said and Nikita pushed her eyes open, afraid of what Michael would say. She was afraid that it wouldn't be like her, she was afraid that she wasn't even in the dream. It was a big step for Michael and it brought all the worries one could have. This was the man she loved and if he said one word, she would lose all of her dreams, and be in the same place Birkoff was, dreaming for a vacation in Cancun.

"I was walking in a park... holding your hand... You had gray hair.. I had gray hair." Michael said with a laugh and Nikita nodded her head. She was too afraid to speak as Michael held her hand softly. He traced the tiny creases over and over again and he looked into Nikita's blue eyes.

"Your eyes didn't change... blue as the ocean, the sky, and blue diamonds. You were the same person... And we were talking..." Michael said and Nikita nodded her head as she waited on baited breath. She was waiting to hear what Michael thought was their future.

"We just met our first grandchild... Nickolas Michael." Michael said and Nikita looked at Michael as her mouth dropped. Michael didn't know what he had done to Nikita as she opened her mouth and he tilted his head to the side. He rubbed her cheek softly and Nikita felt the tears running down her face.

"How could you know? Did Birkoff tell you?" Nikita whispered and Michael shook his head back and forth as he didn't understand what Nikita was whispering about. He rubbed her cheeks and took the tears away with his fingertips.

"Nikita?" Michael questioned and Nikita grabbed Michael's hand and kissed it fiercely as her entire body shook. Michael leaned in to take her lips with his, to stop her trembling. Michael touched her and he felt that flinch and then she opened to him.

"That was what I dream of.... Not everything is write... but the grandson... Nickolas Michael... named after us." Nikita said and Michael nodded his head as he rubbed the back of Nikita's head. She closed her eyes and swallowed as she felt the tears continuing. Michael sighed and kissed her again.

"I guess it means something..." Michael softly said and Nikita looked at Michael. He kissed each eye and then each cheek and then kissed her lips, softly paying attention to her entire mouth.

"What?" Nikita barely whispered in one breath that dragged out, distorting the word but Michael knew. He smiled and traced her lips with his fingers.

"We have the same dreams." Michael said and Nikita nodded her head as she dropped her had down into Michael's shoulder. Michael held her as she cried and he wasn't sure if it was a good cry or a bad cry. It didn't matter as he was holding her, one step closer to that big dream in the sky for both of them.

"Nikita." Samantha said as she heavily stepped onto the Gazebo and looked at Michael and then Nikita. Nikita pulled away from Michael and wiped her eyes. She saw Samantha staring at Michael. Nikita could tell that Samantha had read the article.

"So that article, it's true?" Samantha questioned and Nikita stood up and nodded her head. Samantha sat down on the bench closest to her as Nikita sat down on Michael's lap. She looked into his eyes and saw that he had slipped into the role that he was playing.

"Michael, this is the girl I was telling you about? The one I think is good for Birkoff?" Nikita said and Michael nodded his head and smiled.

"Oui?" Michael playfully questioned and Nikita leaned down and pecked at his mouth. Sometimes he was just too adorable. He wrapped his hands around Nikita's waist and smiled at Samantha.

"Don't believe the article. We have been together for three years, before Nikita knew Birkoff, in case you are worried." Michael informed Samantha and she blinked her eyes and looked out to the street.

"Three years?" Samantha questioned and Michael kissed Nikita's lips and then placed a hand to her lips, so not to allow her to speak.

"Oui." Michael said as he looked into Nikita's eyes, seeing them darkening slightly with passion, as that was the way they responded when he spoke French. He knew not to speak much as she would get lost and end up drooling with whatever he said, even if it was about pots and pans.

"Before he acted... Before I modeled." Nikita said and Samantha nodded her head and looked to the street.

"So you and Birkoff aren't...you know... together..." Samantha sputtered around and Nikita smiled and Michael laughed happily.

"No... I know that Nikita was complaining about how all he talks about is you." Michael said and Nikita playfully slapped Michael and narrowed her eyes.

"You aren't suppose to tell her." Nikita said and Samantha rubbed her hands against her chest in shock. Nikita looked at Michael and playfully nudged her nose against Michael's. Michael giggled and held onto Nikita's wrists.

Nikita was allowing Samantha to sort out her feelings. Nikita though knew that Birkoff had switched his feelings on the young girl. He found out the ugly truth of why Section One needed her fingerprints and he saw how she hurt someone that didn't need to be hurt, her own brother. Nikita knew that Birkoff was going to hate what he had to do, but he was sure that the genius could find a way to do things correctly and without having to do things he didn't want to do.

"He likes me?" Samantha questioned and Nikita turned and nodded her head up and down.

"Every other word... I don't think he knows that the press knows about Michael and me... Did you show him the article?" Nikita questioned and Samantha shook her head and looked to Michael and then Nikita.

"You guys are perfect... Maybe I should go show him the article... the whole town thinks you and Birkoff were hooked up, Nikita." Samantha said and Nikita laughed.

"Eric knew better. He wanted you with Birkoff... He was saying something about losing your childhood." Nikita said and Samantha turned red and walked down the stairs. Nikita turned her head and watched Samantha walk off. She sighed and blinked her eyes.

"Worried about Birkoff?" Michael questioned and Nikita nodded her head and Michael kissed her ear softly. He rubbed her arms and then kissed her ear again. He wanted to keep moments like this for as long as he could. He looked around and stood up.

"Dance with me?" Michael questioned and Nikita's face turned red. There was no music, and Nikita knew she could protest that, but Michael would state that there was always music between them. And there always was. They could stand there, apart from each other and sway to the same music. Nikita sometimes thought it was because their hearts sometimes were beating so close to one another. Nikita remembered the one time when they were captured and placed on machines. Their hearts were together, beating at the same pace. Nikita didn't know if Michael noticed, but she had.

Nikita stood up and placed her head down on Michael's shoulder and he placed that silly limo driver hat back on his curl hair. Nikita smiled and adjusted her body closer to Michael's as his hands wrapped around her waist and her back. Nikita smiled into Michael's shoulder and sighed tenderly as they lightly swayed in the small circle that was only theirs. Michael looked out and then pressed a kiss down to Nikita's shoulder as she pressed her hands into his back, making him, hers for those moments.

"Does anyone have root beer floats in town?" Michael softly questioned without stopping the dance. Nikita lifted her head softly and smiled.

"Yes. Are you going to share?" Nikita questioned and Michael laughed from his chest.

"Of course... there is no other way to have a root beer float with you, Nikita. I want to look into your eyes as I have it." Michael said and Nikita closed her eyes and felt her heart fluttering. Michael knew that she wanted to continue here and he held her still, moving slowly as the people of the town moved past them. Some pointed and some sighed, and Michael and Nikita continued to dance without another care in the world. The root beer float would come and go, but they would remember this moment, as once again, their biology proved they were meant for each other. Their hearts were perfectly together in beat and in harmony.

*

Birkoff slipped the last disk into the computer at the library. He looked at it booted and loaded. In the morning, all he would have to do is turn it on and leave. His work was done and happily working. Birkoff was sure with his work and he was sure that it would never have any problems.

Birkoff sighed as he pushed the chair back to the desk and stood up. Gertrude had left early that day, leaving the nighttime staff at the library. She had left with a message from Samantha that she needed to talk to Birkoff at his house. Birkoff looked at the computer and smiled. Maybe now he could wrap up all the ends of this terrible mission and leave.

He walked out of the library and sighed as he looked around the town. He regretted that he didn't get to know that town. He started to see how Nikita must have felt in her little town with Mrs. Papappas. Mrs. Papappas had spent so much time with Nikita that her rare chance to experience the town was with Michael. Of course, all of that turned out good, but she didn't get to be a part of the little town.

Birkoff walked down the street. The people knew him but he didn't know them. That was what Section One did to a person. You met whom you needed to know and you used them. The fewer people you knew and contacted, the less damage you could do. It wasn't right and it felt wrong. Birkoff wanted to grab the people as he walked down the street and tell them who he was and learn who they were. Was the lady passing him a mother and bake a mean apple pie? Did someone in town collect something odd? Birkoff wanted to know it all.

He wanted to leave, but that wasn't because of these people who walked down the sidewalks with smiles on their faces. Birkoff had never been in a town were almost everyone was smiling at everyone all the time. He wanted to leave because Section One made him want to leave. He would have dragged his feet on this mission for sometime if he didn't don what Section One and Madeline knew he would do. He met Eric and from Eric, he snooped into the files and found the truth about Samantha. It was probably only half of what she did now, but it disgusted Birkoff. In his rush to get away from Samantha, he was rushing to get away from a town that he never learned anything about.

He wanted to learn more about this Verns guy, who made this Vernsville in an image he had. Did he know that a genius would be born and she would help create her own brother into a genius? Did he know that three of an organizations operatives would enter the town to get her fingerprints? Did Verns even exist?

Sometimes late at night, many years ago, Birkoff used to dream that Section One had a town like this. They set it up in some image that they wanted and maintained. They used it to look at behaviors and to keep their hands in the reality that they tried to change every day. Birkoff used to image that if the couple were smart, Section One would take their child right after birth and give them another child, and the parents would never know.

Sometimes Birkoff knew the town to be Sectionsville. It was a crazy dream and he would search his computer databases to see if such a place existed. Lots of them existed, but he couldn't link them to Section One. Maybe they did have a town like that so that those operatives that have served have a place to retire and that someday Walter could find himself in a town like Vernsville, finally having a life again.

Birkoff heavily sighed as he turned the corner. He generally liked this town. There were some odd people, like his next door neighbor who liked to walk around in the nude, but other than that, it was nice. There were odd people in all towns and cities. You weren't going to escape them. They even lived within Section One.

Birkoff was taking a long way to his house, he didn't want to leave the town quite yet and he didn't want to meet with Samantha yet. He wanted to stay and see how Eric did, although he was sure that Eric was smart and would work out fine in his court case. Eric had come over early in the morning and showed Birkoff the court brief he prepared and then showed the evidence he did have. Birkoff almost cried as he saw the hundred tapes that Eric had, recording all of the conversations that his parents had with him about what he was going to do in school and who he was going to become. It was sad that parents would do that to their own kid.

Birkoff looked towards the town quarter and the white Gazebo. There were some town folks gathered around and some kids pointing. Birkoff smiled from his distance and sighed as he looked at the couple that needed to be together.

Michael and Nikita were still there, swaying back and forth to no music. They didn't pay attention to those who were watching. Birkoff was transfixed by the action, blinking his eyes and dreaming for a day that he would have a relationship that was only half of what Michael and Nikita had on that stage.

The people of the town started to move quickly towards the Gazebo, as if Michael and Nikita in that swaying dance were a reason and a purpose to have a party. An older man walked with his cane and sat down outside of the Gazebo and started to lightly play on his flute, giving Michael and Nikita music that matched their silent dance.

Birkoff smiled as some more town folks walked to the Gazebo. He blinked his eyes and knew that from this moment on, there was no one else that he would fight for tooth and nail for. Their love was real and their love was limitless. Everyone muttered in Section One that it would never last, as they were too different from each other. Yet, in that moment, Birkoff saw what those others in Section One could not see, how much alike they were and how Michael was perfect for Nikita and visa versa.

Nikita was leaning her head back and giggling softly and Birkoff smiled. Her dream was going to come true. Birkoff didn't know how but he felt it from this distance, from the way that Michael looked at Nikita. Nothing but love was in his eyes and Birkoff smiled even more. The party was just starting to get started in the town quarter. It was so impromptu that Birkoff wanted to run over and join the magic.

Birkoff turned, pulling his eyes off of Michael and Nikita, allowing them to stay in their happiness. Birkoff moved towards his house. He could finish this mission and start to build his dreams over again. He couldn't do it until this was over and he would. He knew he would.

*

Samantha stood on the steps of Birkoff's house as he turned the corner. Birkoff blinked his eyes and shoved his hands into his pockets. There was no easy way to go about this, but he was going to try an easy way first. He walked up to Samantha and smiled.

"You wanted to talk to me?" Birkoff questioned as he walked up and opened the door to his house. Samantha smiled as she watched Birkoff doing so. She never found domesticity attractive in a man, but Birkoff pulled it off. She never knew that computer geniuses would use keys. The ones she knew from her travels with her job, they had everything by computer keys and codes.

"Samantha? Are you going to talk?" Birkoff questioned as he turned and watched Samantha walk into his house. She pushed at her hair that seemed so much better today. Birkoff had noticed that when Nikita first arrived in town that Samantha dropped off in appearance. Now Birkoff's heart was tugged again, noticing that Samantha was placing a lot on body image and his judgement of Samantha. Birkoff swallowed and told that voice to go to bed, that he knew what Samantha did and who she was. She wasn't someone he wanted to feel for.

"I saw Nikita today, had a nice talk with her." Samantha said and Birkoff nodded his head. He wondered what she had seen and he rubbed his hands together.

"She is really nice to talk too." Birkoff said as he moved off to his kitchen. He turned on some water and Samantha looked at him and motioned to the can of pop. Birkoff sighed and handed her the can, knowing that he wasn't going to get the glass to do the work for him.

"Especially when she is around her boyfriend, Michael." Samantha said and Birkoff smiled and nodded his head. Samantha opened the can and Birkoff could tell that Samantha was upset and he opened his eyes.

"You thought we were a couple?" Birkoff exclaimed and Samantha dropped her head and nodded it. Birkoff looked around and then pulled out the left over take out from the night before, when Nikita said she wasn't going to eat Fruit Loops with Birkoff one more time.

"She spent those nights with you!" Samantha said and Birkoff started to laugh as he opened the containers and smelled them. Samantha sighed and looked at what Birkoff was doing and then opened up his refrigerator.

"Where is your food?" Samantha asked and Birkoff grinned. Samantha shut the door and looked at Birkoff as he moved to the microwave.

"Did I ever tell you that I don't know how to cook?" Birkoff questioned and Samantha's smiled dropped off of her face. She had allowed so many things happen and bad feelings get between her and Birkoff that she didn't even learn who he was. It was interested that he had no food.

"So, I was too busy thinking that Nikita was your girlfriend and that you two were up here making love, when I should have known that you probably only eat cereal?" Samantha questioned and Birkoff nodded his head up and down. Samantha shook her head as she sat down next to the table.

"I do only eat cereal. Fruit loops. It's because I never got to be a child." Birkoff said and Samantha nodded her head and looked at Birkoff as he sat down.

"What did your parents do to you, Birkoff? You never mentioned them." Samantha said and Birkoff sighed and looked off to the wall.

"They sold me." Birkoff said and stood up. He walked over and looked at the food he was heating in the microwave. He turned to Samantha and showed her this.

"This noodle stuff... do you like it? I don't." Birkoff said and Samantha raised her head and then nodded it. Birkoff turned back and stuck a fork into it. "I have to warm it up more." Birkoff said as he turned his head. Quickly he dropped the tablet into the food and stuck it into the microwave.

"You are avoiding my question, Birkoff." Samantha said and Birkoff smiled and looked at her.

"I have reasons too. You don't want to know too much." Birkoff said and Samantha stood up and moved to Birkoff. She touched her fingers to his head softly. Birkoff looked at Samantha as she smiled at him.

"I was so upset when I thought you had Nikita. She is so pretty... and then I saw her dancing with her Michael in the Gazebo... and I knew I wanted that... and I knew that I wanted it you." Samantha said and she lowered her lips and grazed Birkoff's. Birkoff wrapped his hands around her waist and allowed the kiss to continue until the microwave beeped. Samantha stepped away and went back to the table.

"So.. You can tell me about your parents... and what they did. You can trust me, Birkoff." Samantha said as Birkoff turned with her food to her. He handed her a fork and nodded his head. He turned back and poured himself a glass of milk.

"I can tell you things now." Birkoff said as he watched Samantha eat the food happily. She smiled and nodded her head as she ate like she didn't have anything for days.

"See.. My parents sold me to this organization.... They are really bad... and they send people on missions." Birkoff said and Samantha giggled.

"Are you on a mission?" Samantha questioned and Birkoff sadly nodded his head, as he knew it was a matter of minutes.

"Who is your target?" Samantha asked and Birkoff leaned forward and kissed Samantha's head.

"You." Birkoff said and Samantha leaned back and shook her head.

"I haven't done anything." Samantha said and Birkoff shook his head.

"It doesn't matter." Birkoff remarked and Samantha closed her eyes and shook her head.

"Nikita... and Michael...." Samantha said in a broken voice. Birkoff nodded his head and touched her cheek seeing the drugs taking effect. She would never remember this conversation.

"They really love each other.... But they work for my group..." Birkoff admitted and Samantha started to cry. She lifted her head as another though occurred to her.

"Eric?" Samantha asked and Birkoff helped Samantha place her head down on the table. Her eyes focused on him and Birkoff sighed.

"I'm trying to stop him from being like me... like you.. I know what you did to create him... and he deserves to be a child." Birkoff said and Samantha cried and fell away to the drugged sleep.

Birkoff sighed and touched her head. He didn't want to feel touched that Samantha's last thought when she was being drugged was Eric. She was concerned over him. Birkoff shut his eyes and swallowed as he pulled out the computer scanner and placed her hand on it.

That was the easy part. Now he needed to set up the accident and get her sent to the hospital. Birkoff swallowed and shook his head. He hated the field for this reason alone. What was going to happen to her and would he ever know?

*

Birkoff trudged down the hallways of Section One. He had forgotten how dark it was in this little dungeon of sorts. He frowned and ran into Walter. He just shook his head and continued down the hallway, just knowing that everything had gotten screwed up while he was gone. He had already spent an hour fixing Operations' passwords as some smartbutt changed them to "ILOVEMADELINE". Birkoff couldn't stand doing that first thing in the morning and before he was even suppose to be there.

Birkoff sat down at his computer and pounded at the keys and sighed. Even though he hated the slow computer at the library, he missed it. He rolled his head back as Michael and Nikita walked down the hallway, as if nothing was going on between them.

That bothered Birkoff as he looked at them. He saw them the day before, when they ran to the hospital to gather him. In the end, it appeared as if Samantha fell down the stairs while running away from Birkoff as they played with water guns. Birkoff had a cut on his head and Nikita had lovingly held Michael's hand the entire time.

There was a spark there that Birkoff saw in the hospital and now it was like it was gone. Eric had told Birkoff while waiting for Samantha about the entire town having the little party around Michael and Nikita dancing. It took special people to do that, and when Birkoff saw them, it didn't even look like they were the same people.

"Birkoff... my office." Madeline said and Birkoff rolled his eyes as he stood up. He was going to get the lecture now. Walter had warned him. It was because Michael and Nikita were needed. Birkoff had argued to Walter that Nikita still wasn't going out onto the field and Walter had whispered because that was he was able to stop the bruises from fading quickly. Birkoff knew that Walter had a sweet heart and found it difficult that he thought it was better for Nikita to have the bruises for a long time and not a short time.

Birkoff walked to the office and raised his head as he entered the office. Madeline smiled and Birkoff felt the chill running down his spine. Madeline nodded her head and waited for Birkoff to sit down.

"I take it that you hate the field?" Madeline questioned and Birkoff rolled his eyes. Madeline leaned in and looked at Birkoff. "Never when I sent you on this mission, did I think or expect you to be Michael. I am proud that you sought out help."

"You are?" Birkoff questioned and Madeline nodded her head and leaned back in her seat seeing that Birkoff was relaxing now. Birkoff looked and Madeline and swallowed as she was ready to speak again.

"You worked well with the boy, Eric. Maybe I should take that in consideration if I have to send you out again." Madeline said and Birkoff swallowed and shook his head.

"I shouldn't have gone out on that mission. Samantha would have rolled over to Michael in a day." Birkoff said and Madeline turned out of her seat and stood up. She walked over to her plants and softly touched one before turning back to Birkoff.

"I couldn't take Michael away from Nikita. Does that make sense?" Madeline said and Birkoff paused. Now Madeline was trying to get information from him that he wasn't going to tell. She wanted to know if he saw what he knew he saw. He was sure that Madeline wanted to know that Nikita heard the words from Michael and that she believed Michael. Birkoff trembled in his seat until Madeline started to laugh.

"Birkoff... I know what you are scared of. I know." Madeline said and Birkoff looked at Madeline and swallowed.

"You do?" Birkoff said and Madeline smiled and leaned down to him.

"Yes. I heard it myself." Madeline said and Birkoff nodded his head and swallowed. He stood up and looked at Madeline.

"You have low self image.. And so did Samantha. I played with her insecurities... twisted them... When I should have seen that you got attached to the boy.... You weren't suppose to find out what Samantha did." Madeline confirmed and Birkoff looked at Madeline and swallowed. She motioned for Birkoff to sit back down.

"I have a few things for you.... One.. That you deserve... The file of how your parents sold you to us." Madeline said as she handed over the disk. Birkoff stared it and closed his eyes, feeling his mouth go dry. He had it, but he wasn't sure if he could ever look at it.

"Second... I want to be the first to tell you of the decision that is going to change law... Eric has been freed from his parents.. And given to him.. Their house." Madeline said and Birkoff shook his head and smiled. So now Eric was going to get the chance to be the boy he wanted.

"Oh... he wants to become a lawyer." Madeline said and Birkoff laughed, "All lawyers are children.. They all whine!"

Madeline stood up and placed a pair of sunglasses in front of Birkoff. Birkoff looked at them and then to Madeline.

"I hope they are your prescription.. You'll be needing them." Madeline said and Birkoff looked at Madeline as he tried the glasses on.

"Please don't send me on another mission." Birkoff whined and Madeline rolled her eyes. She moved behind Birkoff and leaned down to his ear.

"The only mission you are one... is to have two wonderful weeks in Cancun.. And not to come back sunburned." Madeline said and Birkoff jumped up from his seat.

"I'm going to CANCUN???" Birkoff screamed and Madeline nodded her head as Birkoff started to dance around her office. She couldn't help but smiling as he did his whole little happy dance. Birkoff stopped and looked at Madeline.

"Thank you, Madeline." Birkoff said and then left the office, screaming all the way down the hallway. Madeline smiled and turned to find Nikita standing there.

"Thank you." Nikita said and Madeline looked at Nikita and sighed.

"You do too much for that boy." Madeline said and Nikita shrugged her shoulders and moved to leave the office, ready to join Birkoff in his party that his dream was about to come true. Nikita knew that new and bigger dreams were in his future.

"You do too much for everyone, Nikita... Sometime.. It's going to be just about you... And I think that scares you." Madeline said and Nikita blinked as she looked at the door. It slid open and Nikita closed her eyes.

"Remember, you are on standby." Madeline said as Nikita stepped out of the office. Madeline looked and heard Birkoff find Nikita, yelling and screaming something about Nikita having to teach him to do the limbo tonight.

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