Sometimes putting together a mission in Section One was laborious and was conclusively a creative process that only a few had the ability to pull off. Sometimes the links from mission to mission were seen months off and sometimes a succession of missions were needed to achieve the real and tangible goal. Yet, at times, planning missions was like the fable Stone Soup.

The traveler enters the town with nothing for himself to eat and notices that the town was having difficulties themselves. He starts to claim he can make stone soup, and gathers the pot and firewood, and three stones. In the middle of the town he starts to boil the water and slowly starts to request for other items: barley, salt, meat, carrots and another items for the soup. The town pitches in, everyone giving a little, and soon, the soup was made out of the water.

Something was made out of nothing.

A mission was like that. Especially the one that Operations was watching now. The one he had been watching for months unfolding, finally seeing that the tangible goal might be in hand, but it was still in a critical stage. If this newest section didn't work, the mission could fall apart around them, and the mission that had been in planning for the past year would dissolve away.

He also had to watch the cook of the soup. There was something happening with Madeline, as she had been secretive and uncommunicative. It rubbed Operations raw as he looked down over Section One. There had been inconsistencies in the mission that he allowed Madeline to take complete and total control of, and Operations now was trying to pull the reins in. This mission was too important to lose.

He had been more to cold to Madeline and all of a sudden, he was watching over her shoulder more than in the past. Her movements were being charted by the man with the white hair and he scruntizied everything that she had done. Yes, she was in charge of a multiple missions, and yes, two of those missions were tied together, but sometimes Madeline did things she wasn't suppose to do.

Operations knew that she had done something. She had been too quiet and her actions seemed out of sorts, like she was trying to protect something or someone. It was perplexing trying to find out what was going on in her mind, and hence how Madeline was arriving back upstairs in his office.

"You wanted to see me." Madeline stated as she folded her hands and entered the office. She stopped her movement and didn't move from the doorway much. Operations turned and smiled.

"I'm interested in this May-December mission going on." Operations said and Madeline blinked her eyes and parted her mouth. She then tilted her head to the side and pushed out a smile that did nothing to calm down Operations' nerves and questions.

"You mean the Winter's Spring mission, the one Walter and Nikita are on." Madeline stated, knowing that she was correct with choosing the mission, but wanted Operations to reveal more of what he was thinking.

"It's a very interesting coupling for a newlywed couple. Yet, I don't think they are in Winter's Spring yet." Operations declared, knowing that his information was correct.

"They are going to arrive there in the morning. They are on the plane from Las Vegas now." Madeline smiled as she moved closer to Operations. Operations nodded his head from side to side as he briefly looked down at the world down below him before turning back to stare at Madeline.

"Did you think a three week honeymoon was necessary?" Operations questioned firmly and Madeline waited for several long moments to respond. "Yes, and we know that Harrison Madaris has a keen interest in them and has been watching them."

"I gather that Walter and Nikita are having a good time."

"It appears that way, but it must appear that way."

"Of course." Operations said as he moved to look fully out of the window. He waited for Madeline to position her body next to his, which too longer than normal. It was just another action that was telling Operations that Madeline was covering for something.

"Do you think this is the right approach? Walter and Nikita could be a difficult pairing."

"There hasn't been any difficulties yet."

"They make a better father and daughter image. Why the newlyweds?" Operations questioned as he turned and viewed the profile of Madeline's face. He threw away the thought of how lovely she was, and Madeline blinked her eyes.

"It makes more sense for them to be married."

"Of course."

"Do you have a problem with this mission?" Madeline challenged Operations as she turned her chocolate eyes towards Operations.

"I'm watching you Madeline." Operations said as his eyes turned into ice. Madeline lowered her head and stared firmly into his eyes.

"Why?"

"You are up to something. Something is wrong and you are covering... But I will find out what it is." Operations said as he inched his body closer and closer to Madeline's body. Madeline didn't tremble, but he was sure that he wasn't scaring her yet. He narrowed his eyes and lifted his hand to her chin and grabbed it tightly.

"I hope this mission is as it seems and I hope that all the missions involving Nikita particularly have been everything they were suppose to be and nothing more." Operations spat out as he pushed his fingers and thumbs tighter on Madeline's chin.

"How can you contribute Nikita's inconsistencies on me?"

"Because I know you Madeline, you have plan... and I suggest you end it." Operations stated as he pulled his hand away from Madeline's chin. He waited for a response, but there was nothing more and Operations turned away. He listened to Madeline's high heels leave the office and he looked out over Section One. He couldn't believe Madeline's gull.

Madeline believed that she ran Section One.

Operations turned and found the computer and sat down. It was time that Madeline learned how ran Section One.

*

"The flowers are just blooming?" Nikita questioned as she looked out the window of the Ford Explorer that Walter was driving in the rolling hills she found herself in. Walter turned his head and lightly smiled.

"Well, sugar... It doesn't get warm here really early, so spring here is more like summer at other places." Walter explained as he saw the look on Nikita's face. She was studying everything that was around them in the wilderness that they found was just beyond the little town. They were heading towards their cabin, but Walter saw a picture of the cabin. They might as well called it a hotel, the place was huge, and definitely not what you thought about when you thought of a cabin.

Walter was Walter Demont, a rich millionaire that just took a wife in the young and beautiful Nikita. The classic May-December relationship and it had been a difficult three weeks. He knew that Nikita didn't want to leave Michael's side and then when they had to be husband and wife in public, he felt Nikita trembling with fear. He could feel it in her lips and therefore, he didn't even push Nikita that often. They had the reputation for keeping the displays behind closed doors, which was what Walter wanted. He didn't want this mission destroying his friendship with Nikita.

"But spring is spring and summer is summer." Nikita stated as she rolled down the window and took in the fresh air, finding it more refreshing than anywhere else she had found herself in. It was pure and clean and it brought a good color to Nikita's cheeks.

"The snow only melted about a month and a half ago, sugar. Hence the name, Winter's Spring." Walter said with a deep laugh, finding Nikita's questioning of the area darling. They were in the highlands of Colorado, and he found joy in the area that he had the chance on visiting a time or two. Of course, Walter was in Aspen and not in a small town like this one, but he loved the woods and the natural setting.

"I thought it was named for the river, Walter." Nikita said and Walter patted Nikita's leg as he turned into the driveway. The cabin, as Madeline called it, was hidden behind several turned of the pine trees. Walter waited and waited as he drove down the bumpy road, Nikita bouncing around in her own seat.

"Wow."

Walter stopped the car and stared at the structure in front of him. The size was immense and it seemed to belong there with the trees that surrounded it. Walter was sure that the house was so large that he could easily lose Nikita in it for a day or two.

"I'm glad I brought trackers... I'm going to need them to keep a tag on you." Walter laughed as he started to move towards the house again, finding the large garage that could easily hold six vehicles inside of it's shelter. Nikita looked around as Walter pulled underneath of it and the door started to shut.

"I've never been in a private garage that is attached to a house!" Nikita exclaimed as she jumped out and looked around. Walter shook his head as he found Nikita's enjoyment a bit too much. There was so much he had discovered about Nikita in the past three weeks that he was no longer surprised with what Nikita told him.

They had been in Las Vegas for a good two weeks, and that was where Walter found out something about Nikita that Michael probably didn't even know.

Nikita was a good con artist.

Strike that.

Nikita was a fantastic con artist who didn't get caught.

At first, Walter didn't even know what Nikita was doing as she sat at the table with her blue dress shimmering in the blinking lights that buzzed with the sounds of people losing money at the slot machines. Nikita just kept raking the money in, hand after hand and play after play. They switched dealers and Nikita kept on winning and Walter was thinking that it was all luck. It wasn't until they arrived back in the honeymoon suite that Nikita giggled and told him how she only lost the few hands she did so they didn't know she was cheating them.

Nikita then went into a long explanation of what she had done, and it was so twisted that Walter couldn't keep track of how she did how she did. All Walter knew is that Nikita also claimed that the dress helped. Walter shook his head as Nikita immerged from the bathroom with a robe on and smiled at him, stating that the game she played on this night was too boring and that there were some other ones that were harder to cheat and that she would make him watch her the next night.

They were never caught. Walter was sure that the hotel didn't even realize that Nikita was taking them.

His sugar would always surprise him.

Like when she gave her winnings away to the homeless shelter before they drove off to the airport.

It was so much who Nikita was.

"This isn't a kitchen!" Nikita screamed as she looked at the vast lay out in front of them. There were four sinks and five refrigerators. Nikita looked at the counter surface and touched her hands to the real marble. She looked around and started to open the drawers and the doors, finding everything fully stock with enough food to feed most of Section One.

Even Walter was surprised with the vast kitchen and he shook his head, as he knew that rest of the residence was going to be like this. Nikita turned the corner and shrieked.

"A POOL! AN INDOOR POOL!"

Walter hurried across the floor of the kitchen to follow Nikita's shrieking. Walter stopped at the door and looked at the indoor Olympic size pool in the middle of the glassed in portion of the house. It was warm and bright in the area. Walter turned to find Nikita pulling over her shirt.

"Sugar, what are you doing?" Walter questioned out as the shirt hit the deck that surrounded the pool. Nikita turned her head and shook the hair around on her shoulders.

"I'm going swimming." Nikita stated and Walter nodded his head carefully as Nikita started to pull the tight blue jeans off of her legs, showing the sculpted legs that seemed to go on forever. Walter turned his head away, telling himself that going any further with those thoughts would destroy his friendship with Nikita.

"In your panties and bra, right?" Walter questioned and Nikita's laughter brought his heart to a racing start. He knew that playful laugh and then he felt the item of clothing wrapping around his neck. Walter lifted his hands and took the item off of his neck, finding the bra soft to touch.

"Sugar..." Walter growled out, still telling himself not to turn his head to look at her. That was when the last piece of clothing hit his face.

"YEAH!" Nikita screamed as she jumped into the water in her natural state. Walter dropped the undergarments and left the area, knowing that if he stayed it would be too dangerous for his heart.

Walter left Nikita to her skinny dipping as he started to set up the small amount of equipment that they did have. He was thankful for the large house, knowing that now he would be able to sleep on a bed and not on a couch.

*

Harrison Madaris had a wife that wasn't accounted for.

It was the first thing of the mission that started to show was going to be hard and difficult. When little things like a wife was missed, things just aren't right. To make it more complicated, Harrison claimed to have been married for three years, in a similar arrangement like that Nikita and Walter were portraying, May-December, but Harrison was much younger and the wife, Mindy, couldn't have been an adult for more than three years, if that.

Mindy Madaris.

A woman unidentified by Madeline and Section One.

Mindy Madaris, Harrison's wife.

She was a beautiful little thing, the exact opposite of Nikita in every way. Her hair was black, as Nikita's had started to turn almost white with her three days of being in the pool. She was small and very curvy, not like the long and lanky lines of Nikita. She was quiet, but Nikita didn't feel right around Mindy.

"You have a beautiful taste in woman, Mr. Demont." Harrison said as he lit the huge cigar that Walter had allowed him to select. Walter ran a hand into Nikita's hair and smiled as he pulled out his own cigar. Walter sat down as Nikita leaned against him, trying to look the part of newlyweds.

"I kind of caught her." Walter said and Nikita laughed and giggled, trying to be the dumb blonde that Madeline had said Nikita should try to be more like. Nikita found herself hating this version of herself. It was like a bad mixture of Farrah Faucet and Pamela Anderson. All body, all hair, and no brains.

Nikita didn't like the way that Mindy was looking Nikita up either. All of sudden, in the middle of the huge mansion cabin, Nikita felt like she was on display in a meat market. She tried to pull her long legs up; trying to hide them, only to notice that Mindy's stare was more focused on her than before.

"Yeah... I jumped off that stair and right into his arms!" Nikita exclaimed as she wished she had some gum. It would help finish off the act that she was pulling. She was the lower class blonde bimbo that the older and richer Walter had fallen smitten with.

"I loved him from the first time he called me sugar." Nikita said as she turned her head and placed a peck on Walter's cheek. What was more important was that she had dropped her hand to his thigh. Walter looked down and picked the hand up and kissed it.

"Later, sugar." Walter grumbled as he fought the urges that Nikita knew she was stirring up. Nikita shrugged her shoulders and rolled her eyes as the men started to talk business. She didn't even attempt to start a conversation with Mindy. Nikita was utterly board and started to think about Michael.

It was so easy to think about Michael, especially in this setting. How she ached to be leaning against his back and Nikita was sure that she would find any smoke coming out of Michael's mouth more endearing than the picture of disgust that was coming out of Walter's mouth. She was sure that she wouldn't be alone with her swims in the morning, although she knew that Walter was trying to avoid her for reasons of trying to preserve the friendship. Nikita knew that she was pushing Walter, but that was the profile, and Michael would tell her to follow the profile.

"Sugar.." Walter called out for the third time before Nikita turned her head and winced as the headache arrived back. Nikita rubbed her hand to her forehead lightly as she forced a smile out. Walter had two glasses in his hands, reaching for Nikita. Nikita blinked her eyes a few times.

"Yes, love?" Nikita finally stated and Walter rolled his eyes, trying to play off Nikita's far off gaze. Walter pushed the glasses towards Nikita until she grabbed them.

"We wanted double brandy." Walter stated and Nikita nodded her head. She swung her feet off of the couch and started to stand up.

Everything happened quickly as Nikita stumbled forward as it felt like her feet weren't even there. She snapped her head back, trying to gain the balance as Walter stood up and grabbed Nikita's waist and stopped her movement. Mindy moved and grabbed the glasses out of Nikita's hands as she tried to gain her balance herself by turning towards Walter.

"Here... let's get you down on the couch, sugar..." Walter whispered as he turned and helped Nikita down onto the surface. He watched as Nikita blinked her eyes, still showing signs of being light headed. It was when she grabbed for her forehead that Walter sat down next to Nikita.

"Sugar, what's going on?" Walter questioned as he placed a hand to her shoulder, being much more like the concerned father than the concerned husband. Nikita slightly shook her head as she found that too much movement was going to throw her back into the lightheaded feeling, which she never wanted to experience again.

"It's nothing. I just stood up too quickly." Nikita stated and Walter frowned and shook his head as Mindy moved to Harrison.

"Do you want me to fetch the doctor? I can send Mindy." Harrison offered and Walter shook his head. He looked over Nikita and pressed a hand to her forehead. She wasn't hot and now her eyes appeared clear, not like when he last looked at them and found them so cloudy.

"Can we have a few moments?" Walter questioned and Harrison nodded his head. Walter looked around and pulled out a key. "Go enjoy my private library."

Walter waited for the room to clear and for Nikita to drop her head back on the couch. He shook his head and handed Nikita a glass of water.

"I think it was the smoke, Walter."

"You did this yesterday, Sugar."

"Not like this... that was different."

"Yeah, yesterday I found you on your knees!"

"Walter, don't make this an issue.. It's probably the altitude."

"It wasn't occurring when we first got here, sugar."

"Walter... I said don't worry."

"It's probably the electricity and I should call Madeline." Walter said and Nikita shook her head back and forth as she grabbed Walter's arm. She waited as Walter turned and looked into her eyes, now seeing that Nikita didn't like that suggestion at all. Nikita thought she was fine and Walter wasn't about to argue now about it. He would just allow her to play her little game and he would find the truth out soon enough.

"Ok... I won't this time." Walter said as he gave in, to be rewarded with one of Nikita's broad smiles that lit up the room. Walter reached out and kissed Nikita's cheek softly.

"But you are going to drink a lot of water and if it happens again, I want you to tell me... This shouldn't be a secret, sugar." Walter said and Nikita nodded her head as she squeezed Walter's hand.

"Thank you." Nikita mouthed out as she looked around and dropped her head.

"Are you going to go get him?" Nikita questioned and Walter nodded his head and left, knowing that for Nikita, the ending of this mission was the most important thing to happen. She wanted it to be over so she could go back to Michael. Walter couldn't blame her.

Things just weren't going right.

*

"I don't think you understand my position.... I need reliability with this deal, not inconsistency." Harrison hissed out as Walter as the two men battled back and forth in the library that Walter had helped Nikita up too. At first he was concerned with Nikita, but now things had changed. He was concerned on making Harrison happy, but yet, not appearing too eager to please. Yet, things weren't working out right.

"Reliability is jack crap if you have no quality. My men work hard each and every day!" Walter shouted back as he leaned back in his chair, feeling the stubbornness he knew that Madeline told him not to overshadow the dealing was getting the best out of him.

"And that's all fine and dandy, Mr. Demont.... But what you are asking for is too much." Harrison said as he leaned around and reached for his cigarettes. Nikita turned her head and swallowed, knowing that the smell was going to stay forever plastered in her hair.

"You listen to me..." Walter started and Harrison stood up, puffing heavy smoke out of his mouth. Nikita grabbed onto Walter's hand, squeezing it as fear ran through her body. Madeline's long lecture on how important this mission was continued to run through Nikita's head, knowing that they couldn't allow Harrison to walk out of the house on this day.

"No... you listen to me you little horny old man. You may have had too long of a time out with your blonde bimbo to realize how stupid you are dealing... and I should just leave." Harrison hissed out and Mindy stood and shook her head. She tried to pull at Harrison into the seat, feeling that the deal was the best for everyone.

"She is not a bimbo!"

"Look at her! What is she, one third your age?"

"You listen here..."

"I bet you she could be your granddaughter!"

"Harrison..." Mindy said as she reached for him again, as Nikita turned her head away. She felt the headache continuing and the churning of her stomach. Nikita shook her head feeling that nothing was going right and it was going to continue to go badly.

"No, honey... Why don't you and your sugar daddy go home!" Walter shouted and Nikita instantly stood up. She fought against the dizziness that took over her body in waves. She held her hand down onto the bookcase that stood her right. She turned her head and saw Mindy staring at her.

"NO. I shouldn't be here... I don't know the business." Nikita said as she started to rush out of the room. Mindy watched the color of Nikita's cheeks change, turning almost green and she leaned her head back and allowed Harrison out of her touch.

"No, you aren't sugar. You are learning the business." Walter said as he reached for her and suddenly saw what Mindy had seen. Nikita wrenched her entire body away from his touch, knowing what she was seeking.

"Please... you don't need distractions." Nikita said as she instantaneously left the room with Walter staring behind her, finding all of her behavior odd and it only seemed to be growing worse.

Walter found it hard to concentrate as Harrison sat back down, almost pleased to see Nikita out of the room, acting as if Nikita was right with her presence. Walter instead found his mind searching for the answers of what was going on with Nikita. She was tired like never before and he contributed that to the electricity, but the fainting the past two days had scared him. He shook his head as he tried not to think about how he was sure that Nikita was losing weight and just disappearing for long periods of time for no reason.

"Mr. Demont... I believe it is a woman thing... She'll be fine." Mindy said with a wink and Walter swallowed and dropped his head. Mindy stood up and walked to the door and shut it with a wink to Harrison.

"Actually, know we can talk about the other business." Harrison said and Walter invisibly trembled as he smiled at Harrison.

"What do you mean by that?" Walter questioned and Harrison laughed as Mindy walked over and sat down on top of his lap, showing their relationship as she pulled her shirt open and allowed Harrison to paw her in front of Walter.

"The business that pays for everything else isn't that restaurant chain, sugar daddy." Harrison said and Walter nodded his head as the conversation wasn't revealing the truth, but the actions of Mindy on Harrison's lap were making the visual statement.

"Nikita wouldn't like that."

"That's why she left the room. The dump blonde bimbo line gets them all the time!" Harrison laughed as he puffed at his cigarette. Walter tilted his head to the side, wondering what he was going to be able to do now, with another thing that had not been included on the profile that Madeline had given him.

"Harrison.... I think she was sick this time." Mindy said and she watched as Walter turned his head to the door and stared at it. "Is there a reason for concern?"

"No... I had the flu a couple days ago... When we arrived." Walter said as he pulled his head back to the couple and the flaunted nakedness of Mindy as she sat on Harrison's lap to be fondled.

"You like young things... touch my Mindy." Harrison said and Walter shook his head and Harrison laughed deeply.

"I do swinging parties, old chum! Get use to it now! I'll let you come without a wife... or a partner... But sooner or later you've got to bring one or the other!" Harrison offered and Walter could only nod his head up and down in agreement. There was nothing else he could do, as he needed to maintain contact with Harrison by some form or another.

That was when the crash occurred and Walter snapped out of the conversation and watching the hot body of Mindy's on Harrison's lap. Walter grabbed open the door, not caring what condition of dress Mindy was in as he ran down the hallway.

"Nikita? Sugar? Nikita?" Walter called out as he checked various opened doors until he reached the closed bathroom door. He knocked and heard nothing inside.

"What's going on?" Harrison questioned as he rushed to Walter's side. Walter looked around and finally slammed his body into the door, pushing it opened.

There was Nikita in a heap on the floor, and Walter saw the mess that ran down her face and body. She must have been trying to reach the toilet, but didn't make it.

"Sugar.... Sugar..." Walter called out as he grabbed Nikita's body up and started to lightly pat at Nikita's cheeks, trying to wake her up. He watched as her eyes flittered out and he held onto Nikita's body as she jumped in fear.

"Here... clear her mouth out..." Mindy said as she handed Walter the bottle of water. Walter pulled the cap off of the water and helped Nikita sip as she cleaned the nasty taste out of her mouth.

"We should go..." Mindy said as she tried to pull Harrison away from the bathroom, getting a sense of what was going on and she found it a bit funny and ironic.

"Mindy... we didn't finish our talk!" Harrison protested as Nikita leaned her head back down and threw up what little liquid was left in her stomach. Walter pushed back Nikita's hair and shook his head, feeling things slipping out of his control.

"We can come back tomorrow." Mindy said and Walter nodded his head, hoping that Harrison went along with it, as he felt the need to be with Nikita on this night. He settled Nikita's lanky body on the edge of the bathtub and looked at Harrison.

"I should get our doctor if she is this sick." Harrison said and Nikita started to shake her head.

"Not necessary, honestly... Please excuse me and continue with your meeting." Nikita pronounced with a soft voice that showed the trauma of the vial acid traveling up her throat had caused. Walter turned his head to witness Harrison giving into Mindy's argument.

"No doctor... But I expect to see you much better tomorrow, my dear." Harrison said and Nikita signaled that she would try to do her best. Harrison kissed Mindy's head and patted her back. "We'll show ourselves out."

"What's going on, Nikita?"

"I don't know, Walter. I don't know."

*

"How are you feeling?"

"Fine."

"Are you sure? You were awful last night."

"Must have been the flu."

"Nah, sugar..."

"Really, Walter... A twenty-four hour bug or something."

"Operatives don't get the flu."

"The flu shot doesn't work all the time."

"In Section it does, Sugar. It had to be more. Just tell me."

"You are making this into an issued. It was the flu."

"It's been going on for a few days."

"Not really.. Just last night. I've been fine."

"It was more than just last night, sugar."

"Walter, didn't I just say I was fine!" Nikita screamed as she dropped the mug of tea to the table, splattering the contents all over the table and onto the floor.

"What's wrong now?" Walter questioned as he picked up the rag and headed towards Nikita. She turned and moved away from him as he wiped up at the mess that Nikita had just made.

"YOU!" Nikita finally hissed as she lightly punched the wall, wishing she could just punch it as hard as she wanted. She just couldn't stop this rage that was in her right now and she was not going to be able to stop it.

"Well... you made a mess, sugar. The least you could do would help!" Walter said softly, trying to bring Nikita back to the conversation.

"Then we should never be in this big of a house. I'm sick of cleaning!"

"You haven't done any."

"Its too big. Madeline wants us to die from cleaning!"

"Well, you didn't go anywhere yesterday!"

"Yes I did."

"You were sick all day yesterday, sugar. You were fainting and throwing up!"

"It was just the flu."

"No it wasn't. I know that flu line is just a lie, Sugar. I want to know what's going on here!"

"Nothing, Walter. I am perfectly fine! Am I throwing up now?" Nikita hissed out as she turned and Walter stepped back, expecting a punch from Nikita with the mood she was in right now. Instead, Walter watched the frustration on Nikita's face as she turned around and ended up slamming her fists down into her thighs.

"Nikita.. There is no need for that!" Walter exclaimed out in shock, never one to like self-abusive behavior as usually it signaled something much deeper than what was on the surface. "I just want to know what's going on, sugar."

"I don't know, Walter. I would just like to drop it and focus on this mission." Nikita softly voiced as she took a chair and slumped into its structure and surface. Walter didn't approach Nikita now, giving her space because her moods seemed to be so violent at the moment.

"This is influencing this mission, Nikita. Harrison was more concerned about your health than a lucrative business deal." Walter said and he watched as Nikita lifted her eyebrows and lightly smiled.

"Yes, but most importantly, he wanted to get us into a swinging party... Which wasn't mentioned on the profile, along with his wife, Mindy, who couldn't keep her eyes off of me!" Nikita countered and it was effective. Nikita proven without a doubt that what little distraction she had been yesterday, that there were greater issues and problems with the mission they had been handed.

"Nikita... let's not get off track..." Walter said as he took a chair and sat across from Nikita. He watched her eyes roll back in her head, feeling like she was being stalked when Walter didn't want to do that. He was just concerned for her well being and knew that she might have something more going on.

It was a fear that Walter had that was deeper than what he wanted it to be. What if he was forced into a party with Nikita for the sake of the mission? He didn't want to ruin his friendship with Nikita and it would be putting Nikita into a position were abuse was bound to happen. It was scary to think of what could happen due to Harrison's habits and wants. It scared Walter to the core, as he didn't want to lose his friendship, but he could stand to lose his friendship. What he couldn't lose is the Nikita that had battled back so many times before. He was afraid that if they had to go, Nikita would be lost and turn into the machine that Michael had seemed to be.

"What if Michael was here?" Walter questioned and Nikita dropped her head and shook it back and forth. She reached out for Walter's hand and pressed it tightly with her two hands, feeling the need to show him that she was going to tell him the honest to god truth.

"I would tell him the same thing. I'm fine this morning. I must have had the flu." Nikita stated as she allowed her blue eyes to dance across his older face, waiting for Walter to realize that in Nikita's mind, all she did have was the flu and now it was gone.

"Ok, Nikita." Walter said and he watched as Nikita's eyes flooded with tears, so quickly it was like a dam had suddenly burst. Walter jumped around the table and hugged Nikita tightly. He waited, as Nikita started to rock her body back and forth, as Walter wanted to know what caused this.

"You miss, Michael, right?" Walter questioned, trying to identify and classify the tears. He didn't need to deal with the issues of Dr. Bowles and assorted other things that Madeline had recently done to her, because he was sure that he couldn't handle those types of conversations.

"Yes... but that's not why I'm crying." Nikita sniffled out as she used her hands in an attempt to dry her tears. Walter pulled back and rubbed at the sides of her neck, finding the tears still spattering down her drawn face and Walter realized how much weight it appeared Nikita did really lose.

"Why?"

"I don't know."

"You just said that you knew you weren't crying for Michael. You must know why!"

"I don't!"

"Sugar.... You can tell me anything."

"I don't know, Walter."

"Yes, yes you do!"

"I just wanted to cry!" Nikita squawked as she stood up and pushed Walter cruelly away from her body. She flung her hands up in the air, swinging them savagely around in an oval. Walter dodged Nikita's arms as he attempted to move away from Nikita, yet she continued to move towards him for no rational reason.

Yet Nikita was not acting rationally in Walter's mind. She was having problems that Walter didn't feel ready to address or be part of. He knew that this mission was asking too much for her to handle and he had argued that point to Madeline before she sent them on the three weeks of a honeymoon. It was like three weeks of proving to Walter that she was right, but that was because they were too busy to sit in the house and for Nikita to think. Now she had the time to think and Walter was concerned, along with the health issues that were occurring to Nikita.

"Can't a girl just cry? Isn't crying healthy for the soul? A good cry keeps the psychologist away!" Nikita said as her voice went from ranting and raving to a scant whisper that caused Nikita to plunge to the floor, wiped out of energy and holding her head.

"What do you call this, Nikita? Do you call this all right?" Walter angrily as he gawked at Nikita's emotional outburst and the proceeding falling to the ground in exhaustion. He knew that the time was running down for Nikita's own good, that sooner or later something would come to the light, but she wasn't willing to think about it now.

"Yes." Nikita haughtily responded as she elbowed Walter away from her body, still showing her stubborn side. Walter watched as Nikita pushed her own body up off of the ground and to brush her body. She looked at the breakfast food and turned out of the room, finding an escape that Walter didn't want to admit was a relief for his own being.

*

Harrison walked around the stunning table as he looked at the vast arrangements of food. They were talently completed and contained all of the things that he liked most. He pulled some of the food onto his plate as his wife; Mindy did the same activity.

"Your cook must have been working all morning." Harrison said with a deep laugh. He heaved his plate up and moved to the little room that was connected to the much larger dinning room. Harrison's eyes lightly scanned the surface of Nikita's body as she stood there with a smile on her face, nibbling on some crackers and cheese.

"I spent the morning." Nikita said and Mindy opened her eyes in shock. She shook her head, not knowing why someone who had married a man that was so rich would do the cooking. Mindy looked at Nikita and knew the something more was going on and that she would have to watch Nikita some today. She wanted to find out what was with this woman that seemed to be nagging her.

"No cook? Are you insane!" Mindy gawked as she took her chair and moved it extremely close to Harrison. Nikita looked over her shoulder as Walter walked in and sat down. Nikita didn't move her chair closer to him, a signal to Harrison and Mindy that things weren't quite right in the newlyweds' life right now.

"We haven't had the time... and I like to cook." Nikita stated as she took the goblet of water and lightly sipped at it, slowing down everything she was doing, feeling as if she was now again, pushing her stomach. She didn't want another episode of what happened last night, now that Walter had seemed to believe that she didn't know what happened.

"Got to love the domestic women!" Harrison deeply laughed as he sipped at the red wine. Nikita stood up and pour some more into his glass. Slowly she rolled her head around to the side and when Walter lightly placed his hand on Nikita's, she jumped.

"She is more than domestic. As I said, she is learning my business." Walter said and Harrison nodded his head, but the expression on his face showed that he didn't really believe Walter's words. Harrison continued to the belief that Nikita was that dumb blonde that he was trying to make into the bimbo. Harrison smiled and looked at Walter.

"Is that realistic and smart?" Harrison whispered and Walter looked at Nikita as she sipped at her water. She didn't even raise her eyes to look at Walter nor Harrison. The fact was that she was feeling her stomach starting to dance around inside of her.

"Sugar..." Walter said as he was waiting for Nikita to prove that she was intelligent, and he was surprised that Nikita hadn't spoken yet. He watched as Nikita raised her eyes and then suddenly saw that something else had Nikita's attention. Abruptly, that look was gone and Nikita knew that she had missed her cue.

"I did some research... and while you have the restaurant... and you do have funds coming into you from your swinging groups..."

"You told her!" Harrison called out as he pressed his hands onto the white tablecloth. Walter stood up and looked down at Harrison.

"I just treat my wife as an equal partner. She had the right to know, but she found that out about three days ago." Walter lied as he stared into Harrison's eyes. Harrison pulled his hands underneath of the table as Mindy turn towards him with a shrug of his shoulders. Walter was surprised that Harrison took Nikita about the swinging so violently. He should have been happy and pleased because Walter was sure that Harrison was waiting to have his turn at Nikita.

"Can we forget about the swinging... The issue I have with involvement with you in a business plan is the money that you are laundering for a project that seems to have enough ties to the Mafia, terrorists, and other assorted bad people." Nikita stated firmly as her eyes connected with Harrison's as they flicked the fear of someone knowing more than he wanted them to know.

"She is very intelligent." Harrison whispered as he pulled away from Mindy and studied Nikita's body further. She was everything that any man would want and somehow she was with this Walter man. Harrison saw her intelligence and wondered how far was she going to play Walter. She was obviously using him.

"Thank you. If you can excuse me.... I want to check on desert." Nikita said as she stood up with a pleasant smile on her face. She bent down and lightly rubbed a kiss on the corner of Walter's mouth before she left.

Walter looked straight into Harrison eyes and started to shake his head. He wanted to go after Nikita, as he was wondering what was going on. Nikita wasn't suppose to be leaving right now, but she seemed to be doing it expertly; she was truly going to go look at the desert. Too bad that the desert was done three hours ago. Walter knew it was a lie, but he found himself studying Harrison's eyes, seeing the doubts in his eyes.

"Don't think you will be doing the business with her. We are very devoted to one another. She isn't using me. If anything... I'm using her." Walter said with a wink and a sly grin. "If you catch what I mean."

"Of course." Harrison said with his own lewd smile spreading across his face. Mindy stood up and looked around.

"I'm going to go and help Nikita." Mindy said and she left the room quickly. She looked around the dinning room, finding Nikita absent. Instead of moving to the kitchen, where Nikita told everyone where she was going, Mindy moved down the hallway to the bathroom, to find the door closed and the sounds going on inside of what she had suspected.

"Nikita..." Mindy called out as she knocked on the door. She heard the shuffling and the running of water quickly occurring as Nikita opened the door and smiled at Mindy.

"Mindy.... I just needed to go..."

"You were throwing up."

"Yes." Nikita said as she dropped her head and allowed Mindy in. The fact was, Nikita was tired of everything that was going on. She was about to ask Walter for a daughter, wondering if there was a way she was being poisoned or something. She would feel find for a long time and then feel awful. It was miserable to feel tired all the time and know that she had to look good for the mission.

"Because you don't like your body... You think you ate too much..." Mindy started out and Nikita shook her head as she swallowed back another surge of her stomach. Nikita knew it was a mistake to throw up the first time, because then it seemed like she couldn't stop afterwards, and there couldn't be much in her stomach.

"Mindy... I want to eat.... I want to eat that entire cake I have in the kitchen!" Nikita exclaimed and then she turned as her face started to turn green again. Mindy leaned back and waited for Nikita to kiss the toilet bowl again and pull her head back up, fighting some dizziness.

"Sit down." Mindy said as she helped Nikita to a small little stool that was a decoration in the living room. Nikita spread her legs apart in order to keep herself from falling forward. Mindy wetted a wash cloth and helped Nikita wipe her face.

"How late are you?" Mindy questioned as she dropped the cloth back into the sink.

"What?"

"How late are you?"

"I don't know what you are talking about, Mindy." Nikita said as she shook her head back and forth. Mindy raised her eyebrows and smiled down at Nikita.

"Your period... How late are you?"

Nikita sat there as her head started to spin at what she had missed and what she didn't even realized she missed until this point. Nikita closed her eyes as the tears ran to her face, realizing what Mindy was suggesting and knowing that from what had been happening the past few days that she was more than likely correct. This time, when Nikita felt like she was going to get sick, it was from the realization of what was occurring to her and the horrendous of her situation.

She was with Walter right now, and Mindy and Harrison would think it is his child. Nikita numbly shook her head, knowing that she couldn't have a child. Section One would never allow it, no matter how much her and Michael were in love.

That thought only brought more worries to Nikita's head, knowing that Michael wasn't going to take this good. Nikita blinked her eyes and swallowed. She just wouldn't tell Michael. She started to sort a plan out, that she needed to finish this mission as quickly as possible and get into a town and take care of this problem.

"Those aren't happy tears..." Mindy commented as she wiped at Nikita's eyes. Nikita didn't want to destroy Michael's and hers child. It would be a special combination of the both of them, and made at a time where Nikita needed it, even if Section One would try to destroy it and them. Nikita blinked her eyes, trying to force some words to come out of her mouth.

"So Walter doesn't know that you are late yet..." Mindy assessed and Nikita nodded her head as she found some sort of clarity in this mess she found circling around her. Nikita stood up and looked into the mirror.

"I'd rather not tell him yet..."

"It is his, right?"

"YES! HOW DARE YOU ASK ME THAT!" Nikita screamed as she turned around and looked at Mindy. Mindy dropped her head shyly.

"You are young.... I wouldn't find it hard if you had a one night stand before going with an older man that probably can only please you once a night..." Mindy said and she watched Nikita's eyes narrow on her. Mindy stepped back and swallowed.

"I'm sorry..." Mindy whispered out and Nikita dropped her head crying now.

"I can't be pregnant... I can't be..."

"Won't Walter be happy?"

"No.... I can't be pregnant..." Nikita cried out as she lost it, drowning in her worries and her fears. She didn't care anymore; she seemed to have no control over her body.

*

Lines of worry etched Walter's face as he moved to the door and stared in. For two days Nikita had been avoiding him, running away from his every movement seeking refuge elsewhere in the house. For two days, whenever Walter did get a look at Nikita she appeared sick and crying. She looked like a partially alive corpse, about ready to fall over dead. She wasn't eating, she was sleeping, and she wasn't functioning.

Mindy had called upon her yesterday, but Walter found it impossible to find Nikita. He searched the house high and low with Mindy, finding it difficult that Nikita just slipped out. She appeared as suddenly as she had disappeared, but it wasn't until sometime later. Apparently, Mindy went to the stables and found Nikita there. Walter didn't know what Nikita was doing down there, she didn't even like horses.

It pained Walter to watch Nikita like this, self-destructing for some reason he didn't even know. Walter stepped into the room, hoping that this time he got to Nikita. No, Walter shook his head as he corrected that thought. He had to get to Nikita this time. Walter was afraid that time was running out and he knew first, Michael would kill him and second, Madeline would kill him. Walter trembled as Nikita continued to cry with her face down on the couch, for reasons so unknown to him.

"Sugar... tell me." Walter whispered as he reached down and touched her shoulder softly. He held her down as she jumped from the surface of the couch and then settled back down. Yet, she didn't lose her tears and Nikita tired to turn her head away from Walter's harsh eyes, studying and monitoring everything about her.

Walter didn't realize how close Nikita was to blurting everything out to him. She had an appalling two days, lost in her thoughts and dreams of what was going to happen now. That day that Mindy found her in the stable, Nikita had been out riding, in hopes of falling off the horse, to do anything to damage the life that she may be carrying inside of her. Nikita was on the brink of telling and now with Walter's sweet words, she was standing on the edge.

"I can't, Walter." Nikita stated out as she lifted her head and scooted away so that Walter could sit down, the first time in two days that there had been enough contact between the two for Walter to feel even more scared. She seemed to be wasting away and she wasn't eating. She was throwing up her insides still and Walter knew that she must have still been fainting.

"You can tell me anything, sugar. You know that." Walter said firmly as Nikita pulled her body up and crossed her arms in front of her. It was such a difference from the Nikita that had arrived with him. That Nikita, Walter could have barely gotten into clothing as she ran from the swimming pool into her room in the buff. It was amazing how a few short days changed everything about a person.

"I can't, Walter." Nikita stated again, the three words that were too common from Nikita's mouth now. Walter frowned and grabbed Nikita's hand. He felt her tremble and he knew that whatever Nikita wasn't willing to tell him must be threatening to her too. There weren't many things that Nikita would keep from Walter and there weren't many things that Walter wouldn't do for Nikita. He had to protect her soul and he would do that, no matter what.

"Sugar... Nikita... This has gone on too long. You haven't figured it out yourself. Just tell me what you need.... And I'll make it happen... with Section One knowing or with them not knowing. You are what is important!" Walter said as he rubbed his fingers across her knuckles. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back, exposing the long lines of her neck. Her eyes were swollen from the two days of non-stop crying and Walter wanted to make it all better. He wanted the answers and that was the sigh that he allowed out, one of frustration and sorrow. He couldn't help Nikita if she didn't help him figure out what was going on.

"Just hold me." Nikita cried out and Walter lunged with the words, feeling her bony body pressed against his larger and filled out body. He held her and tried to take comforting breaths as Nikita cried and sobbed harder into his embrace. Walter wasn't sure that the hug was helping Nikita, but that was what she had asked for. He wouldn't deny that for Nikita.

Slowly, as the long minutes ticked away, Nikita laid her head down on Walter's lap, probably seeking the rest she had neglected to allow her body to have. Walter stroked her hair and waited, pleased to give Nikita some sort of comfort.

Yet, Nikita's eyes didn't close as she stared off in the room, trying to inquire the answers to her questions and doubts. She was trying to reach a conclusion to what to do next and who to tell. Her rational mind had turned off a long time again and now only her emotional mind worked. Nikita sat in that quiet, with her head on Walter's lap and wondered if she could tell him.

It didn't matter how many speeches Walter gave to Nikita about how he was only there to help there. There was still doubt in Nikita's mind that he would follow her wishes here, or if Walter wouldn't do something to show everyone in Section One what was going on. It didn't matter how many times Walter promised her that he would do anything against Section One to spare her, Nikita had those doubts.

Yet, holding this knowledge in her mind and heart all to herself was too much. She needed help and she knew that Mindy was not that help. Nikita wanted Michael, but then she didn't want him. She feared what he would do, what he would suggest? It was a natural choice to tell Walter, one that she should have made two days ago. It was great choice, a man who thought of her, as his own charge, and the one that he needed to protect. It was a different kind of protecting than what Michael offered her. Michael's was of everything, while Walter was protecting Nikita a way a parent would.

"I'm late." Nikita muttered out so softly that it sounded like a long and hard sigh. Walter looked down and saw that Nikita's blue eyes were wide open, deep in thought and he stopped. He looked down and rubbed at Nikita's hair.

"Did you say something, sugar?" Walter questioned and Nikita turned over on her back with her eyes tightly closed. The words were causing everything in her body to hurt and she could barely contain her composure.

"I'm late." Nikita stated as she held her eyes shut, afraid to look at Walter. Yet, Walter shook his head, missing the meaning of the statement.

"You don't have any appointments until later today with Harrison and Mindy." Walter said logically and Nikita opened her eyes and stared at Walter. In that moment, as he looked into Nikita's eyes, his heart stopped in fear.

"I'm late." Nikita said again as the tears solidly stamped their way down Nikita's drawn and hollow cheeks. Walter looked at Nikita, confused for moments as the announcement was clearly known and he shut his eyes.

"You're pregnant." Walter said and Nikita rolled away from Walter crying. Walter swayed his head from side to side slowly at first, yet the movement soon started to gain momentum as anger filled his body.

"I'm going to kill Michael... He is a Valentine Operative... HE KNOWS BETTER!" Walter screamed and he didn't notice that his words were making Nikita cry harder. All Walter cared about at the moment was his own pain and hurt from the announcement and the blame he directly put on Michael.

"He knows how to protect his women! How dare he do this to you, Nikita! That man as no common sense! NO COMMON SENSE!" Walter screamed as Nikita pushed her body up to pull at Walter's arm albeit weakly as Nikita's strength waned.

"It was both of us, Walter... Not just Michael..." Nikita protested out, trying to protect Michael from the wrath of Walter. Nikita fell to her knees as Walter dragged her off of the couch. Nikita dropped her head and continued to stop as Walter came out of his rage and saw what mattered.

Nikita.

"I'm so sorry... Sugar.... What can I do?" Walter said as he snapped down to his own knees, holding Nikita as she continued to sob loudly. He felt like whatever worry he had for Nikita multiple by her announcement and her words. He felt that the world was crumbling and he had to make it stop before it took Nikita out.

"I tried to ride a horse..... Tried to make him buck me off..." Nikita cried with trembling hands and Walter grabbed them and looked into her eyes. He was shocked by Nikita's words, feeling that Nikita would have been more protective of hers and Michael's child and not abusive and trying to destroy it. He wasn't sure what was going on with Nikita's head but he had to stop it.

"No, Nikita.... I will have none of that. You are going to protect that child... Now where is that test..." Walter said and Nikita shook her head from side to side.

"I can't take one, Walter... You know the watchers from Section One... If you or I go for that test in the drug store.. Madeline would know in two minutes.. and I'd be cancelled in four." Nikita said and Walter leaned his head back. It was the truth.

"But I know I am, Walter... Look at me... All the symptoms..."

"The throwing up....

"The dizziness..."

"My skin looks like I spent hours in a tanning booth..."

"Sugar... You need to calm down..."

"I'm losing weight because I can't eat... and... and... and..."

"Sugar... We still got to find a way to test you... To make sure... These are problems that occur for other reasons."

"AND MY BREASTS HURT!" Nikita wailed out as she hung her head down. Walter hugged her again, knowing that he may never let her go in this rate, but he didn't want to let her go.

Walter feared to leave, as he knew he had ways of testing Nikita back in Section One. He could easily get the stuff to the house with a reasonable excuse and no one would be the wiser. Yet, that was risking leaving Nikita alone in the house. She had already admitted going out and trying to destroy the child by risking bodily harm. Walter wasn't positive that Nikita wouldn't do it again. The test was only a formality, and Walter had other reasons for wanting to go back to Section One.

Michael.

Walter didn't care what Nikita said or informed him. He was going to have a nice conversation with Michael about this entire fiasco. He had everything to do in it and he wasn't about to let him get away with it. Nikita was hurting too much in this instance for Michael not to pay for this to happen. Walter felt the tears coming from Nikita's eyes, pouring from his own heart.

"Sugar... I'm going to do something...." Walter said as he pressed a hand to her back, trying to keep Nikita from crying too much more. Nikita shook her head back and forth, trying to keep Walter from leaving and deciding what he wanted to do before she knew what he was going to do.

"I can get you a test... it's different and it will take a bit longer than an urine test.. But I have to go to Section.." Walter explained and Nikita shook her head until Walter grabbed her face with his hands.

"We have to be positive, Nikita. Absolutely." Walter stated and he felt the tears on his hands as she nodded her head up and down with some heavy and dragging breaths.

"We have a meeting with Harrison and Mindy." Nikita stated and Walter sighed and stood up. He wasn't going to let this meeting get in the way of what he really and truly needed to do. Nikita was more important, even if she didn't admit it herself.

"You can handle it... say I had to leave town for some business." Walter said and Nikita dropped her head and swallowed. She didn't want to worry about the meeting as it seemed a little ridiculous to be worrying about that when she could be with child, which would then be life threatening to her and Michael. Nikita reluctantly nodded her head in agreement and then spent the last few minutes holding Walter, thinking that she had finally did the right thing and hoping that Michael wasn't in Section when Walter arrived.

*

"The returns in this mission isn't as expected." Operations ridiculed Madeline has he handed the PDA back over to Madeline with a frown on his face. She looked at the PDA and swallowed as she felt the stress of being under Operations' incessant scrutiny pushing at her pounding head.

"We didn't expect good returns. You wanted the target alive and we had to give up returns in order for that to occur." Madeline explained to Operations as he turned his head and shook it. She dropped the PDA from her hand and sighed. She knew that no matter how much the returns were Operations' mistake, she was going to be blamed for the returns.

"What about the Winter's Spring mission. Have you heard back from Walter or Nikita?" Operations questioned as he turned away from the glass and looked at Madeline's eyes. She leaned her head back and sighed.

"Not from them personally, but I do have contact with three of the men watching their movements. Harrison has been seen in and out of the house several times with a woman." Madeline said and Operations looked to his hands and nodded his head, but Madeline knew he was just gaining time to question something more of what she had said.

"Then who is the woman and why haven't you asked Walter about it?" Operations said and Madeline rolled her eyes. The profile insisted that Walter and Nikita only had contact with Section One in the means of an emergency and she had gone over that point with Operations almost daily.

"I haven't had contact."

"You haven't?"

"Yes. There hasn't been an emergency."

"Then why is Walter standing down there talking to Birkoff?" Operations questioned and Madeline ran to the glass and looked down, finding the man that she least likely expected to see inside of Section One on this day. She stared for a few moments as Operations gloated in Madeline's surprise. She turned and allowed a huff out of her normally calm body.

Without another word, Madeline turned and stormed out of the office on her way to talk to Walter. She was angry at his appearance and outright astonished that he would talk to Birkoff in the opening as such when he knew that he was to be in Winter's Spring. Most of the anger was because of Operations' hounding her every day about everything she was doing and most importantly, this was the mission that needed to run smoothly. The fact that Walter was standing in the middle of Section One indicated that things weren't running as the watchers thought they were running.

"Walter!" Madeline hissed and everyone in the area stopped as Madeline's long high heels hammered the floor beneath her feet. The operatives that could leave, left, and Birkoff turned away from his chat with Walter and back to his computer. "What are you doing here?"

"Gathering some needed supplies." Walter said and Madeline shook her head as she stared at him. She knew that there was something more going on here, that Walter had a plan or a scheme of his own that she needed to know before Operations found out.

"You don't need supplies. All you have to do is a business deal with Harrison." Madeline resolutely stated and Walter rolled his head and caught a glimpse of Operations standing in the window above, staring down at Madeline. He shook his head back and forth and indicated to the bag of items he had already gathered, including the testing supplies that no one would notice were gone.

"Well, Madeline... We do now... Since you messed up the profile!" Walter said and Madeline shook her head lightly. She had done the profile herself, slowing and tedious as it was.

"I didn't mess up, Walter. I think you might have read it wrong. There is no reason for the need for extra supplies." Madeline stated and Walter lost the last patient cell in his body. He stepped back and flung his hands around.

"Look here, Madeline... Do you want your boss to know that you missed Harrison's wife!" Walter said as he pointed up at Operations. He saw the fear in Madeline's eyes as she looked at his pointed hand. He knew that Operations must have really been baring down on her, making life miserable for each time she took a breath.

"He doesn't have a wife."

"He has a wife, named Mindy.. FOR THREE YEARS, Madeline!" Walter screamed and Madeline dropped her head and stepped back. There was nothing like that in what she had viewed. There was no way she could have missed something like that.

"Walter... I swear..."

"So you don't know about Harrison's main source of income.... Not a legit business... NO, He hosts SWINGING PARTIES!" Walter hissed and Madeline closed her eyes, feeling what was left of the profile she had written drifting down a huge drain never to be seen again. Things were definitely not right and she didn't know what had happened.

"Is he going to demand participation?" Madeline smoothly questioned as she raised her eyes as she knew she had to stop anything of that manner from happening. It didn't matter if it was for the good of the mission. Simply, Madeline wouldn't do that to Nikita. She couldn't do that to Nikita.

"It seems that way, Madeline... But then.. it's for the good of the mission." Walter said and Madeline started to shake her head, denying the fact of what Walter said and about to issue orders against what Operations would want and do. She didn't care right now. If he wanted to cancel her, he would find something petty enough to cancel her about.

"No, Walter... It's not. It won't be done." Madeline firmly set out as the rules and orders. Walter blinked his eyes, relieved to hear the words, but unsure why he was hearing them right now. If Madeline was being watched, why was she doing this for Nikita. Walter shook his head, as he had enough Nikita worries that he couldn't allow himself to have any Madeline worries.

"Thanks. It might just save both of us." Walter stated softly, hoping that the statement expressed enough of what Walter wanted to tell Madeline. Madeline only nodded her head and looked to the side and rubbed her hands together.

"How is Nikita?" Madeline questioned and Walter snapped his head around to look at Madeline, scared at what she meant by the comment. Did she know about Nikita? Did the watchers find out that she had been sick? What if Madeline had already known before the mission that Nikita was pregnant? What if Madeline sent Nikita on the mission hoping that the emotional distress would cause a miscarriage?

"What do you mean by that?" Walter hissed out, defending Nikita instantly, not wanting any more problems for Nikita. Madeline rolled her eyes and swallowed.

"I was just wondering if she was missing Michael or anything. If this swinging aspect of Harrison and company is bothering her." Madeline clarified and Walter looked around the area, wondering what he could say and what he couldn't say.

"She is handling a meeting with Harrison and Mindy while I'm gone. I know she was worried." Walter said. The statement indicated that Nikita was functioning as she was supposed to be functioning, but that Nikita was having some issues. It covered Walter's butt effectively and he hoped that Madeline wouldn't challenge his words.

"And she is missing Michael?" Madeline questioned and Walter sighed. He felt that the statement was a waste of time as Madeline knew the answer.

"Yes."

"So, you are out of here tonight with the supplies?" Madeline questioned and Walter nodded his head as he picked up the bag and looked around.

"Actually, I have to talk to Michael for a few moments." Walter said with his eyes involuntarily narrowing, thinking about the younger man that Nikita was probably still pining about in the mansion cabin. A young man that Walter had a thing or two to discuss and order him about.

"Oh? Why?" Madeline questioned and Walter rolled his eyes.

"Nikita issues." Walter stated and Madeline shook her head back and forth, not liking the game that Walter was playing with her and more importantly, playing them in front of Operations. Walter sighed as he carefully decided which words to use and which ones not to use. Some of them might tip his hand while others might not. It was difficult.

"They don't concern you, Madeline. Just between me and Michael." Walter said and Madeline nodded her head, buying the words. It wasn't that the words were lies. What Walter was going to do was between him and Michael, as Walter was ready to beat Michael into a bloody pulp for what had happened to Nikita.

"Why does that sound so cryptic?" Madeline questioned as she tilted her head to the side and Walter moved his head from side to side in disgust. How he wanted to end this conversation and to get to Michael, who was still in his office.

"Because everything in Section One is cryptic, Madeline." Walter said and Madeline reached out for Walter's hand and touched it.

"I hope that this talk is for the best of Nikita. That is all that sometimes matters to Michael." Madeline stated in the open hallway of Section One. Walter looked up at Operations as he turned away from the window and threw his hands up in the air.

"I think you should worry about Operations and I should worry about Michael. It is only one issue." Walter said and Madeline turned away and hurried up to the office.

One very big issue, Walter thought to himself and he closed his eyes.

Could be an issue for nine months.

*

There was a calmness that took over Walter's body as he stared at the door that belonged to the man he wanted right now to strangle. He stared at the door, aware that for the first time since Michael got Nikita as a recruit, he wasn't afraid of looking at that door and he wasn't afraid of the man behind it. Walter told himself that he needed to remain calm and cool, that he couldn't allow his emotions get the better of him, yet something easily told Walter that it was unrealistic to think that he was going to stay cool.

"We have got to talk, Michael." Walter said as he opened the door and moved to the desk. Michael blinked his eyes up to the man and moved for his cameras, flicking them off quickly from the sound of tone in Walter's voice and his gruff appearance.

"Aren't you suppose to be in Winter's Spring with Nikita?" Michael questioned as he pushed his chair back slightly from his desk and looked up at Walter.

"Yeah... but there was some business I needed to take care of." Walter spat out as he looked at Michael's calm exterior. Walter wondered how long that was going to stay, if what he was going to say was even going to cause a change in Michael. Walter knew the odds were probably good that Michael stayed exactly the way he was now.

"Dealing with?" Michael questioned with as few words as possible. He felt a vibration from Walter that seemed to rub Michael wrong and alerted all of his senses for what could be a possible attack or threat. Michael sat up straight and waited as Walter started to pace.

"You are going to make Nikita a respectable and proper woman." Walter said as he finally turned around and looked into Michael's gray eyes that were piercing at the vision of Walter.

"What are you talking about?" Michael hissed out, losing the meaning of Walter's words, feeling as if he was missing a huge chunk of what was going on in the world and what was going on with Walter and more importantly, what was going on with Nikita.

"You know what I'm talking about... You messed up and you have to pay for your mistakes..."

"What mistakes?"

"You know... You savvy little pleasure boy.... You screwed up this time..... Were you too busy to think? Were you too busy to even think about the consequences of your pleasure?"

"Walter!"

"NO! Michael you listen to me. You're a Valentine Operative! You know better!" Walter screamed and Michael stood up and stared into Walter's eyes, feeling fear trembling down his body as he had yet to realize directly what Walter was speaking about. Michael only knew that Walter was attacking him for some reason he didn't understand.

"Walter, you are making no sense." Michael stated calmly, hoping that to keep his voice low would indicate to Walter the need to calm down and talk about what he was trying to tell him.

"WHAT IS NO SENSE IS WHY YOU DIDN'T GLOVE UP WHEN YOU MADE LOVE TO NIKITA!" Walter screamed and Michael turned away and closed his eyes. He looked to the wall for a few moments and swallowed.

"Why is this an issue?" Michael questioned with a slight quiver in his voice, his mind already starting to piece together the missing pieces to Walter's conversation and none of it added up nicely for Michael and Nikita.

"She is late, Michael! SHE IS LATE!" Walter said and Michael looked at Walter and sat down in his chair, stunned by the truth of the situation, but stunned that it was happening now of all times. Michael blinked his eyes a few times and didn't notice that Walter wasn't done lecturing Michael about everything.

"You knocked my sugar up, Michael... You have to do the right thing! You did it!"

"Walter... will you please..."

"You damn bastard! Don't you ever think! You knocked my sugar up good!"

"Will you please slow down?"

"Funny thing for you to ask Michael. You didn't slow down with Nikita to think for three seconds? Was it that good? Did you have enough of her? Are you glad?"

"Walter..."

"No, you listen to me boy.... You got yourself into this mess and you ain't going to leave Nikita hanging out dry for this mishap. YOU KNOW BETTER!"

"So does, Nikita, Walter." Michael hissed out as he stood and stared at Walter, feeling the anger building for the attack and not being able to speak. Michael was willing to give Walter everything that he wanted, but he wouldn't stop enough to allow Walter to speak.

"Didn't you even think of protection? GOD DAMN IT MICHAEL, PROTECTION!"

"Walter..."

"It takes a few seconds.. A minute tops... But you had to rush!"

"Now you wait...."

"Funny! You don't know how ironic you are Michael. You should have asked Nikita to wait... Not me!"

"Walter, you are being..."

"What do you have in your brain, Michael? I thought you were smarter than this. This is the woman that you are supposed to love.... And all of a sudden your brain turned into some sort of fried mush? Why did you not do it this time? Why didn't you protect yourself and Nikita?"

"I can't say anything Walter until you...."

"You used her! What? You need another baby that badly that you are willing to deposit your gift into anyone?"

"Walter..."

"You that desperate that you are willing to trash Nikita's heart and soul and make her worry for the life of her own... that she starts trying to force her body to miscarry so you don't have to deal with this!"

"Walter..."

"Do you think I'm going to idly sit back and watch this unfold without you helping?"

"No... but Walter..."

"I'm an old man with a loud mouth... that needs to teach you a lesson or two..."

"That's not necessary..."

"YES! YES, IT IS! You landed you and Nikita into a world of hurts, Michael... and I'll be damned if I see you try to walk away from this mess of s*it!"

"SHUT UP!" Michael hissed as he backed Walter against his glass window with a loud thump. Michael looked at Walter and waited as Walter saw the tears on Michael's eyelids. Michael allowed Walter to step away and look around the office, as Michael couldn't fight the tears.

"I'll make her proper, Walter. She isn't going to go through this alone." Michael whispered as he moved to his desk and dropped his head, knowing that it was the right thing to do, and the only thing Michael could do.

"She isn't going through it alone. I've been there." Walter hissed and he stopped. He studied Michael again, seeing how real his emotions were and how shocked Michael was. It was in those moments as everything that Michael and Nikita had was balancing on a tightrope that Walter saw the love that Michael had for Nikita and the instant love he had for that child Nikita had within her.

"Are we sure?" Michael softly questioned as he raised his head, defeated in every way, but yet showing the strength and love he carried for Nikita. Walter sat down and leaned into the desk.

"I need to verify it with a blood test.... We are being watched by Section outside of the cabin so I had to come here and get testing supplies that no one would miss." Walter said and Michael leaned his head back and swallowed. Walter shook his head and grabbed Michael's hand.

"But Michael.. She has been throwing up and fainting almost since the time we got there... She has had probably every symptom of morning sickness if I've ever seen it." Walter said as he stared into Michael's eyes. Michael closed them and nodded his head up and down.

"I need to be there with her." Michael stated with clear words that shook Walter's own concept of what would happen. Walter had dreamt that he was going to have to drag Michael up to be with Nikita. Now it appeared as if wild horses weren't going to keep Michael away from seeing Nikita.

"What?" Walter questioned as he blinked his eyes over again and Michael stood up and moved to the window. Suddenly now he was worried that someone might have overhead Walter's words and that someone would go and tell Madeline.

"You need to find a way to get me up to that cabin." Michael said and Walter started to shake his head back and forth, knowing what he had planned on doing. He was going to verify that Nikita was in fact pregnant and then force the issue.

"Michael... we are being watched." Walter hissed out and he licked his lips as Michael rolled his eyes and moved to the wall. Michael folded his hands in front of his waist as he selected his words.

"I'm not going to let her wait this out herself, Walter. That would be a mistake for Nikita and for me. I have to be there for her." Michael stated and Walter nodded his head, surprised with the actions that had occurred and stunned that in just a few minutes, he would be driving back to the cabin with Michael.