"Come on!" Jurgen shouted down at the two operatives that had suddenly stopped. Maybe he had been in the ghost form too long to realize when a person was hurt too much to continue. Maybe he had forgotten the physical limitations of the human body and he sighed.

The alarms started to blare, signaling that Section One was going to lock down in two minutes and Walter looked up the stairs and knew that they were not going to make it to the level outside in this manner.

"Walter..."

"Sugar.. Did you say something?" Walter questioned as he looked around on the floor and looked at the hallway door.

"Walter..."

"Nikita, are you talking to me?" Walter questioned in a hurried voice, feeling like he had to find out immediately what was going on. He saw that Nikita realized that they weren't going to get out by the vast array of tears splattered across her face like a badly made spider's web.

"Walter... come with me... I have access to the outside." Belinda's voice said as the door blew open. Walter stared and pulled at Nikita and followed the image.

"Belinda..." Walter sighed as she moved quickly down the hallway, but to Walter it didn't matter any longer. The alarms were gone in his ears and there was no rush. A sight that he had longed to see for ages was there, guiding him.

"This way.. This elevator takes you right on up and out... It won't shut down... I will see to that." Belinda said as the door opened and exposed the plush elevator and Walter knew that it must be Operations' fail-safe. Nikita walked in and meshed with the seats.

"No... I want to see you... Nikita is fine..." Walter said, as he wouldn't enter. Belinda touched Walter's head softly and then brushed his hair away from his face.

"You have to go my love.... She needs help." Belinda softly said and Walter continued to shake his head.

"No... I have to stay... with you!" Walter cried out, as he wanted to wrap his arms around her.

"Walter, who are you talking too?" Nikita's voice rang out as Walter attempted to hug Belinda. His arms went through the image and he stepped into the elevator and it sadly closed on the image of the woman that saved them.

"Belinda..." Nikita softly said as she looked to her fingers. She told herself that she had to keep her eyes open, that she had to go find Michael and that she could rest later. Nikita dropped her head and felt the throbbing pain, knowing that it would not allow her to ignore it for too long.

"Come here, Nikita..." Walter softly said as he looked at her pain. Nikita trembled and Walter closed his eyes and held her for the journey up to the surface and hopefully on the way to find Michael. Walter knew that his touch meant nothing to her now... that is was only a poor substitute for what she really needed and wanted.

*

The door cracked open and Michael slowly lifted his head, knowing that this time, it was not Josh that was walking into the room to try threatening the brave and strong operative. Michael knew that there would be no battle with Josh and that he would not win with words alone. Josh had been an easy opponent to beat with words alone. His experience in Section One had taught him well and Josh, was never one that dealt with violence well.

Michael opened his eyes slowly as the door shut in the background. It could be one of many people in his mind. There were several that would be assigned to duties in the retrieval nerve group of Section One and several that could disappear for days and not be missed, even in times when Michael was taken by someone.

Michael could smell the perfume even from the distance of some thirty feet and easily narrowed the list of our names down to two. Some would think that with Michael and Jurgen and the several hundred Valentine-like missions they had to pull, that there would be more woman on the list, but that was if the enemy was outside of Section. Inside of Section One, Michael knew of only two women currently alive that would want to see him dead for various reasons.

"Michael..." Yamini stated in a deep voice that was not hers until that fateful mission. As soon as the voice drifted to Michael's ears, he knew who it was and why she was taken him. Even though none of the offenses she was going to claim he did, were actually Michael's fault. There was only one person who caused her injuries and pains if it wasn't caused by Section One direction, Jurgen.

Yamini was an up and coming operative when Michael was under the wings of Jurgen. He saw her coming and going out of Jurgen's office. Although nothing was officially said about the two, Michael knew clearly that the two had a relationship, if not something a bit stronger like a bond. She was a pretty young woman. She was about five foot eight inches, which was tall for a woman with such strong Indian heritage in her. Her hair was black, but from her need to sunbath, it had highlights of chestnut brown in it. It was extremely long, down to the middle of her calves and that was when it was in a braid. She was rounded, but not too big. She was a bright one, able to see things on a mission clearly and never one to make a stupid mistake.

'What do you want?" Michael demanded, not seeing the sense of going through the introductions. He already knew why she had him and who she was. Michael was even able to start plotting possible ways that Section One would come in and rescue him if she didn't disrupt the computers too badly. There were lots of things that Michael's mind was doing before Yamini even stepped into the light for a positive visual identification.

"Ugly, aren't I?" Yamini questioned as the light hit her features and she pulled off the glove that hid the prosthetic arm that Section One had given her. As she had showed, she had great skill in knowledge. She had a great feel for what the operatives would try to do in a captured situation and therefore, Section One made the adjustments to keep her in. The arm wasn't the only injury though. She had been injured in the face and the one whole side had to be reconstructed and it never did return in its former state. The damage had been done and in the end, the doctors couldn't restore the muscles in that side of her face. One side of her lips would never smile; they would just be there.

"I don't use the word ugly." Michael calmly stated, knowing that the statement would probably only feed into her anger, but he didn't care at this time. He slowly rolled his head to the side and waited as Yamini showed that she had a few more men than just Josh around. They entered and pulled Michael's arms down and tied them around the front of his chest with heavy rope. Michael stared at the woman the entire time.

"Nikita taught you to be nicer to people. You should have thought of that a long time ago." Yamini spat out as she motioned for her men to leave. Michael blinked his eyes and swallowed.

Michael didn't like the way the mission had turned out and he didn't know for some years that the orders for Jurgen were to save the young man. He did as he was told. Michael was sure that if he was in the same situation and it was Nikita he was being told to turn away from, he would have found away to save both, because anything less would be a failure to himself.

"Yamini... are you holding me hostage for crimes the dead Jurgen committed against your relationship?" Michael questioned and she narrowed her eyes, not like the tone that he showed in his voice. She stepped forward with the steel pipe and rammed it against his knee. Michael didn't groan or moan as he looked at the woman.

"He did more than that.... He loved another." Yamini said and Michael rolled his eyes. Seeing the further judgments and elaborate dreams she had placed in her head.

"You are speaking about Nikita." Michael bluntly stated and she smiled evilly.

"I heard that she barely can walk." Yamini said and Michael looked at her and shrugged his shoulders, even though he was pretty well tied a the moment.

"I would never say the word barely about Nikita. You don't know her." Michael stated and Yamini nodded her head and stepped away.

"We'll have plenty of time to play my pet.... Since I am still working for Section." Yamini stated and Michael leaned his head off to the side and closed his eyes. It made Yamini angry, but she was not one to stop what she had declared what she was going to do. She would step away from Michael now and return later, after some time had passed.

The door slowly opened and Yamini left and Josh stepped in with a pompous flourish that only showed Michael how sweet it was going to be to see that man fail. Michael looked as he dropped Michael's lunch to the ground.

"Poor boy... No Nikita to spoon-feed you... Maybe I can do something about that." Josh said with his laugh crackling in the room. Michael didn't blink, as he didn't even feel the need to eat.

"The next time Nikita is near me it will be after you are dead." Michael firmly assessed and Josh rolled his eyes.

"Do you think we are going to stay here long enough to be found.... Michael... Michael... Everyone thinks that Yamini is level two... only you know which part of Section she works for... Even Madeline won't figure this one out until we are long gone and on our way.... I think you would make a good circus act..." Josh stated and moved out of the room. Michael closed his eyes and swallowed harshly.

Once he was sure that the door was closed for a good time, Michael dropped his mouth and looked at the rope. Slowly he turned his hand away and started to gnaw at the rope. He would bite and tear into the fibers and then spit what he did get, back out. He continued in this manner, over and over again, sure that something was going to be happening soon and he couldn't wait for the opportunity to get his hands around Josh's and Yamini's necks.

*

"Slow down!" Walter hissed as Nikita pulled the semi-automatic rifles out of his trunk. She turned and clicked everything in place as she stared at the building that loomed in front of them. Her eyes scanned the area, one truck was exposed and Nikita stopped. Nikita didn't have to go and look in the van to know that Michael had been in it. She turned and started to trudge to the doorway that would take her deep into the warehouse.

"Nikita! Stop!" Walter whispered as he grabbed her arm and pulled her against the wall. He held his two weapons and looked at Nikita. Her eyes weren't even focused on his, looking elsewhere for more information. Her head lightly twitched to the side, the only current indication that she had recent injuries. Her lips pressed together as her breathing slowed, readying her body for the battle that she assumed was going to occur.

"Is Jurgen with us?" Walter questioned and Nikita shook her head no quickly. She pressed her head to the door and waited for several seconds. Very few operatives were trained so well, and Nikita had been trained by the best. The skills she was using now weren't ones that were normally trained with, but she had them, probably from the acute study of Michael. Or it was natural. Or a ghost was helping her that she didn't tell Walter about.

The fact was, Nikita didn't know where Jurgen went, but in her mind, that didn't matter at the moment. What mattered was entering the building and locating Michael's position as quickly as possible before they are spotted. The difficulty was that it was a large building and he could be anywhere on the five floors in a building that was one and a half football fields long.

"Nikita..." Walter started to talk again, but stopped as Nikita raised one single finger to silence him. She closed her eyes and listened to the door again.

"We have to go to the right... They are down there..... I would say... five men tops." Nikita stated as she turned the knob and started into the building. She turned and waited for Walter to enter and then closed the door. Now that she was inside, she even felt better. The shadows hide their bodies in a way that couldn't have been done outside.

"We know that Yamini is still working with Section... She won't be expecting us... I would think there would be a tight perimeter." Nikita stated in the hushed voice. Walter nodded his head and looked around.

"We cause a distraction?" Walter questioned and Nikita paused. She didn't want to admit it, but she was sort of at a loss for this decision. She looked up and around for any signs of light to indicate where Michael was being held.

"We need to be closer for a distraction." Nikita commented and she started down the hallway that was on her right. It was a rather large warehouse, with tall ceilings and all the elevators appearing to be only metal. There was a lack of walls and a lot of metal, which would be dangerous for ricocheted bullets. Yet, it was also a blessing, that there would only be a few closed in rooms, and that was most likely where Michael was being held.

There were no signs for life other than the passing rat that ran away as Nikita's and Walter's feet continued on down the hallway. Nikita saw the floors above starting to contain rooms and walls. She looked to the side and saw two different staircases. Nikita used her head to motion Walter to take the back one, the least dangerous one.

Walter didn't realize Nikita's thinking on this motion. He just did as she instructed, knowing that he hadn't been in a situation like this, ever. He never had just a two-person team and no backup. From what he heard from Michael, Nikita, and Birkoff, this type of configuration was common for Michael and Nikita. More importantly, they made it work. It only indicated not only was Michael a superb operative, Nikita was holding her own and could be trusted.

That was when she was healthy. Walter forgot of her injuries.

He shouldn't have.

Carefulness was taken, but it didn't matter as Nikita rounded the corner, to start up to next floor of rooms, when she was exposed to two guards. The first one, she immediately saw and easily fired upon to drop to the ground. The second one, grabbed the gun away from Nikita and the battle occurred.

Nikita was usually one to be underestimated by the enemy; she was a woman with long blonde hair, whom everyone assumed would be easy to beat. Even in this circumstance, she was not going to fall into that category. After the gun was thrown to the floor below, Nikita heard the commotion from the other side of the building. It only told Nikita that Walter was going to be occupied for a little bit. At least it sounded as if they were in a gun battle.

The man moved forward and punched Nikita in the side, a blow that would have hurt more had she not been expecting a blow to her head. She stepped forward and grabbed the man. She was flipped down, harshly to the floor. She felt the pain in her back and the man laughed as one more arrived to help him out, both were without guns.

Nikita shook her head as the one man slammed his boot into her face, pushing the already injured neck into the floor even more. She tried to fight the blackness, but couldn't do so. But she did recover quickly to hear the men chuckling about how easy she was to handle. Nikita felt the ground that she was on and found the heavy iron chain right next to her fingers. She started to grab for it and pulled it closer to her body.

"Ha... she was like a toothpick..." the one man laughed and Nikita jumped up with the iron chain, flying in the air and striking at the man.

"Let me pick your teeth!" Nikita screeched as the chain hit harshly across his face, knocking him backwards. Nikita was pulling her arm back, getting ready to throw the chain around the second man as he grabbed her hair and pulled backwards. He moved to the bar and slammed the middle of her back harshly against it.

Nikita didn't pass out this time, but pretended too. She fell to the ground as she realized that the pain was only growing and growing in her body and that soon she wouldn't have the strength to fight back. The man used the own chain that Nikita had tightly in her hand to slam it against her chest before he moved it and allowed it to drop to the ground.

He kicked at her and rolled her over onto her face, still thinking that she was out of it. Then he went to his partner, a grave mistake. Nikita rolled around, quickly and stood on her feet and pushed the man up and over the railing before his partner could do anything about it.

"STOP THEM!" A woman cried out in a deep voice and Nikita paused to look in the direction of the voice, knowing that Michael was there. Nikita wanted to make a break for it, but was hauled down as the last remaining man swiped her legs out from underneath her. Nikita didn't even have time to put her hands down to stop the incoming impact of having her face hit the ground, harshly. The blood gushed out of her nose.

"Nikita... I'm bunkered down!" Walter shouted out from his side and more gunshots were heard after the words. Nikita lifted her head up and was immediately stepped on the back with the heavy boot of the man. She would have slammed her fist down on the ground if she had the time, but she didn't.

Nikita was almost in a hopeless situation as she looked around the area on the floor around her. There it was, hidden underneath some sort of workbench, or maybe it had fallen, a pen. Some people would wonder how a pen was going to help Nikita, but she reached for it and waited for the man to walk around closer to her hands. In one movement, she stabbed it deeply into his Achilles' tendon and waited for him to fall. It must not have been able to penetrate deep enough, as she felt her body being picked up in the vast air around. Nikita's eyes flashed with horror, seeing the ground several floors below, where she had sent the other body that was dead on the ground.

Her body was dropped on the floor she was on, but against a box. She felt the middle of her back hit squarely on the metal box, feeling as if it snapped her that quickly. Nikita couldn't even moan as her body slid off of the box and down to the ground. She couldn't move if she wanted too.

Where was that ghost when she needed him?

Nikita struggled to open her eyes, not wanting to miss Michael and not wanting to let Michael down. Her eyes thought met the barrel of a gun and she closed them again. She looked up once more and shut her eyes.

Where was that ghost?

*

Michael didn't waver in his movement, of chewing on the ropes as he heard the noise outside. He heard the gun battle and he heard what appeared to be a fierce fist battle. In those first moments, Michael had lied to himself that Nikita was having the gun battle and Walter was having this fist battle. Yet, Michael knew Walter's voice when it came from the side he didn't want to hear it from.

"STOP THEM!" Yamini yelled out, still down the hallway from the room that Michael was in. It sounded like they were right next to him, but Michael knew that it only seemed that way due to the large and silence spaces in the warehouse he had been captive in.

His first hand was free and he was starting to untie the next rope, but knowing that he would have to appear as if he tried nothing when Yamini entered. He didn't know how badly Walter and Nikita were and if he would have their support or not.

"Damn it, Jurgen... Where the hell are you? And why aren't you with Nikita?" Michael swore out loud, as his other hand became free, just as the footsteps were heard on the other side of the door. Michael moved quickly back to his former position and knew that he would have to wait for the perfect timing.

"Don't worry, Michael... Your friends won't succeed." Yamini sighed and Michael blinked his eyes and looked at her. He slowly moved his head to the side, ready to entice her into a battle of the wits, to draw her closer to his body, to see that if she had anything he could use when the time came.

"How do you know that? How do you know that they are even my friends?" Michael questioned and Yamini's face drew ghostly white, indicating that she wasn't sure, which was dangerous when holding a Section One operative captive the way she was. Michael lifted his head and listened to the side.

"Nikita....." Michael said and Yamini turned her head to the side. It only indicated that Nikita's skills were getting out to the ranks of Section One, and that maybe she wouldn't be in the shadows of Michael's skill and prowess much longer.

"She was injured, correct?" Yamini said and Michael just stared at her. He knew that she had complete and total computer access if she wanted it. She had been specially trained in those areas, and just because an operative isn't currently suppose to be doing those skills, doesn't mean she couldn't still do it effectively.

"In fact... hurt her neck... My men have been informed of that, Michael." Yamini revealed with a sinister smile spreading across her face that caused the ice to form inside of Michael's heart and soul, fearing the worse, knowing that Nikita's weakness was known and exposed. Michael didn't turn his head towards the sounds of the fistfight, but as long as those noises continued, Nikita was alive.

"Maybe you were feed that." Michael responded in his accent voice. Yamini stepped forward, into a patch of light that Michael hadn't realized sooner. He caught a glimpse of the silver gun on her hip, but it was easier access to Michael than Yamini realized. It was part of her down fall with working with Adrian... Jurgen had taught Michael the oddest little moves, and they worked time in and time again. This time, Michael hoped for some more distraction.

"Let's not play games.... Let's talk about your sins." Yamini cried out as she kicked at Michael's knee. He knew that he would have nothing to complain about if Nikita was still in the fist battle and still alive.

"My sins... Get this correct, Yamini.. Jurgen's sins." Michael spat out, as everything suddenly was quiet. Michael tried not to look to either side, but his pulse was racing, wondering what was happening around him. He had to wonder if he had two people able to help one person, or none. It was a bad situation for Michael, but it was also a bad situation for Yamini.

"He is dead... I can't talk to him." Yamini spat out as she slapped Michael across the face. It wasn't a blow meant to hurt, it was a blow done out of emotional crisis. She was still deeply hurt by the actions of the man known as Jurgen. Michael looked around the room and swallowed as he narrowed his eyes.

"Then go some voodoo crap.. Don't hold what he did to you out on me!" Michael issued out with a stern voice. He did not think he wouldn't get slapped for that comment. He rolled his head to the side with the connection of her palm to his cheek. Again, it did not hurt.

There were footsteps up the stairs on the side Michael knew Walter to be on. It only indicated one thing, Walter was alive and the guards who were there weren't. On the other wall, Michael heard another person falling to their death, and then suddenly, a rifle snapping into the locked position on someone.

Josh.

Michael closed his eyes as he realized that Nikita was probably down with some bumps and scrapes and now at rifle point. Michael prayed that Walter would walk by him and go find Nikita first. Yet, Michael knew that wasn't going to happen. If Walter came in this room now, Nikita might as well be placed in the coffin now.

His gray-green eyes fluttered down to spy on the gun again. His words had lured Yamini even closer to his position. Closer to the man that had been able to chew his way through the rope once. The man that had both hands free and she didn't know it yet. He could move, but he was wary of anything he did now, since the gun was pointed at Nikita.

"I have a way you can talk to Jurgen." Michael stated with a baited voice and Yamini stepped back, but Michael wasn't going to worry. He was sure that she could stand ten feet away and he would still have his hands on that gun first. If he heard the shot to the one side of him, he would allow Yamini to kill him on the spot either way.

"He is dead. We both know that." Yamini exclaimed and Michael raised an eyebrow and looked up. He didn't even know if Jurgen was around anymore.

"That is him... doing that stuff!" Yamini suddenly cried out and Michael pressed his lips together, unsure of what she was speaking about.

"He brought Section One down to a lock down... scaring all the operatives out of their minds... sent Madeline out to find a witch doctor or a Ghostbusters or two!" Yamini said and Michael started to twist his hand.

"Yes... that is my handiwork." Jurgen said as he materialized above Michael. Michael saw the shock on Yamini's face as the door behind her slammed open and wind swirled around the room. Michael felt the coolness hitting his face and he could feel the pain that Nikita was in, instinctively.

Michael didn't wait a second; he didn't even wait for Jurgen's words to be over. The ghost had gathered Yamini's attention that quickly and Michael sprung forward and grabbed the gun. He unloaded two bullets into the cuffs that held his feet and he turned and pointed the gun at Yamini.

"Michael... don't waste your time... Nikita..." Jurgen said and Michael looked to the ghost he settled to the ground.

"I thought you left me." Michael said and Jurgen shrugged his shoulders.

"Nikita..." Jurgen said, urging Michael to kill Yamini on the spot and to go find Nikita. Michael pointed the gun and fired. Yet, it wasn't an instant death shot. Jurgen watches as Michael stalked out of the room and past her body, she was still alive and in essence, Michael had given him time with Yamini before she passed on.

"Why?" Jurgen questioned as he floated down and touched her black hair and noticed the brown high lights. He soothed the hair as his ghostly heart started to break again. Yamini was evil and she had hurt Michael and Nikita, but Jurgen felt responsible for everything, he had helped to create Yamini.

"No love should exist... Ours wasn't allowed." Yamini said and Jurgen sighed and swallowed. She was about to move on and Jurgen was ready to lie again. He had lied to himself that entire time he was with her, saying that she was just a play toy of sorts, that she didn't matter. Yet, her face looked so young now as he looked down at her. Not like the years had tortured her as he knew they had, but as she was finally going back to the state she should have never left, her young adult years, when she was so much like Nikita. She didn't even realize it.

"Yamini.... I didn't want to leave you..." Jurgen softly said and she moaned and leaned her head back.

"Don't leave me now..." Yamini said and Jurgen reached down and stroked her face. His hands were there and he knew that her time was there, no more waiting.

"I'll take you." Jurgen said and Yamini closed her eyes and Jurgen disappeared.

Now the ghost had left, and there were still tasks to be done.

*

The realization hit Nikita and broke tears over her face. Before, she took everything for granted, but now, as Josh had plunged the other guard to his death, he aimed the gun at her. Nikita couldn't move.

Literally.

She couldn't feel her legs... she could barely feel her arms and hands.

One could not describe the feeling until it occurs. It isn't like there are pins and needles sticking the limbs like it is when the limbs fall asleep. Suddenly, it is like they never existed that they aren't even there. There is no registering of warmth and coldness. There is no registering of how they are positioned and what they are laying upon. There is suddenly nothing.

Nothing.

The word suddenly meant something so different for Nikita. All her life she felt that nothing meant the life she found around her. The lack of things that everyone else had. All her life, Nikita felt that she had nothing.

Nikita once looked up the word in a dusty old Webster Dictionary she had bought at a flea market on one of the rare days off that she had that it was sunny outside. The dictionary had so many meanings for the word.

The absence of all magnitude or quantity.

That was the one that Nikita always believed in. She didn't have six dresses; she had one that she had to wear to school everyday. To her, that lack of quantity was nothing. And in her life, she had no quantity. She didn't have any quantity in love, she didn't have any quantity of knowledge, and she didn't have any quantity in tangible goods. What she did have was a quantity of emotional abuses and misuses. She had nothing.

Now the other definition was floating in her mind, suiting the situation that she was in now as she stared at the maniacal Josh as he hovered about, murmuring his plans of escape and the torture of her body. In that moment, those words were pointless and they had no meaning for Nikita.

Something that does not exist.

That was the definition that applied now. It was the knocking off of her legs and arms. There was nothing but her beating heart and in Nikita's book, why even live. In a life that bounced her back and forth from one evil to a greater evil, of course she would bounce from the superficial nothing to the most serious and grave nothing. In essence, Nikita didn't even know what she continued to exist now. She wished to be part of the nothingness that took her feeling in her legs and arms.

Rien.

It was the French word for nothing. Nikita didn't even know why she thought about that. If she would have paused her thoughts, she would have known the connection to Michael, but she couldn't stop now. Her body was still pumping with adrenaline and she couldn't move. She wanted to strike out, fight against, and win... but...

Rien.

She had nothing to do now. She could only sit there and buy sometime.

Maybe.

"Nikita.... Nikita... Oh how this is going to be a pleasure." Josh stated as he towered over Nikita. She knew that he was looking for her to move and she closed her eyes and sighed. She felt the tears running to her eyes, she felt the severe pain in her back, as if the box she landed one was still pressed against her spine.

"Just do it, Josh." Nikita remarked calmly, knowing that it was what she wanted in this situation. She did not want to live if she could not walk. She did not want to go back to Section One, knowing that the cancellation gun or drug was waiting for her. Nikita's wishes at the moment were to die.

"Do you think I want to end your suffering that quickly? Honestly, you jest." Josh said and Nikita blinked her eyes and swallowed as her fingers slowly twitched in her right hand, with very little control. Yet, she could still move and slowly she did what she had to do.

"So you want to torture the girl who can feel her arms or legs..... Where to do plan to torture her?" Nikita posed as a dangerous question. Josh smiled and looked around, liking the silence he found.

"Sounds like we are alone.... You must know by now that Michael is dead." Josh stated as Nikita's fingers slowly molded around the handle of the knife that was sitting in her pocket. All she needed to do was to slid it out of the pocket and throw it.

Nikita felt like stabbing herself.

It wasn't totally out of question.

"If you say so." Nikita stated softly as her eyes started to tear up. The fact that there was no noise, probably meant the opposite, that Michael was alive. Surely, Yamini would have run out of that room with victory in her hands. That was what she wanted, to destroy the man that was the benefactor of Section One's orders.

"You are so cryptic...." Josh stated and Nikita blinked her eyes and found it hard to swallow. In fact, it hurt to swallow and it hurt to think. It hurt to breath and it hurt to keep her eyes open. Right now, she was running on pure instincts, working with what she had of her body and of her mind.

"Maybe that is why I saw things you can't." Nikita stated and Josh laughed as he pulled his gun off target from her head. Nikita looked around, but couldn't see much but the ceiling and Josh's body. She knew that staying still was of an essence, but if he would step back three more steps, the aim would be open and she would have to take it.

"Ah... the ghost..." Josh said and Nikita narrowed her eyes. She didn't want to ask the question where he was at this time. Wasn't Jurgen suppose to be watching out for her, and here she was, not able to feel most of her limbs on the floor, with a gun almost pointed on her.

He was Michael's mentor.

It shouldn't have surprised her.

"Yes... Jurgen." Nikita said and those words were enough. Nikita counted the footfalls that she heard and pulled her body up, against the physiology that was occurring with her body and threw the knife into his heart. At the same moment, a gun from the background rang out and the body collapsed forward from that force.

Nikita couldn't stop her body from falling heavily backwards and she closed her eyes. She didn't want to see who had saved her; she knew it would only be more difficult when she was sent to get cancelled because of her broken back or neck.

*

"Nikita!" Michael cried out as he handed the gun to Walter and moved to Nikita's side. She opened her eyes and found that her movement had ceased. Michael touched her and Nikita swallowed harshly as Walter looked down at her. "Can you get up?"

Nikita stared at Michael and then closed her eyes. She didn't want to say it. She couldn't even bear looking into the eyes of the man she always wanted and just finally got. Now, all of that was gone and to open her eyes would mean to have hope. She didn't feel that she had it.

"What happened, Sugar? You need to tell us." Walter said as he bent down and started to feel her body for bruises or breaks. Her face was in dire need of attention and Michael pulled at his pants and found a cloth to wipe the blood away from her broken nose. That pain didn't even register in Nikita, there was too much of the other pain to worry about.

"Does this hurt, sugar?" Walter questioned as he squeezed on her knee, seeing the swelling that was growing as he watched. Again, he waited as Nikita swallowed slowly and with more time that passed the more understandment both Walter and Michael had.

"Does what hurt?" Nikita questioned back with a cracking voice. It revealed to Michael and Walter that she knew exactly what was going on and the severity of the injuries. Walter pushed at Michael and walked away from Nikita as he pulled the cell phone out.

"Is it the neck?" Michael whispered as his fingers dropped from her face and looked at her. Slowly, Nikita opened her eyes; not able to deny Michael the answers as he spoke in such soft words that her heart burst into its own tears.

"I hurt the neck.. But my back..." Nikita softly stated and Michael reached out for her chin. Somehow he knew the distress that Nikita's mind and body was going through. He couldn't soothe her by holding hand or touching her shoulder. His only place that he could touch was her battered face. And that was what he did, sensing that the words that Nikita would mutter now would tear at his heart and that he would have to indicated to Nikita how much he cared for her and how much hope he had for.

"Michael... you have to promise me something..." Nikita softly started to stutter out, Michael's fingertips feeling the every slight movement of her mouth up and down. It caused tears to form in his eyes, tears that he was sure that Nikita would see even in her state of pain and suffering.

"I won't promise anything while you are in this pain... Nikita..." Michael said with a slightly wisp of air, only for Nikita to hear and to cause more tears to flow out of her eyes.

"Michael.... I don't want to be cancelled because I can't move..... So please... Don't let them do it... If it looks hopeless... just give me too much medicine..." Nikita started to bawl out and Michael started the process of battling the tears as they jetted out of Nikita's eyes, unstoppable at this point.

"I won't do that, Nikita..." Michael softly said and Nikita looked at his green eyes as they finally realized his own tears.

"But it would be my wishes..." Nikita softly whispered and Michael continued to push away her tears before he noticed that his tears were meeting hers on her pale face.

"No... it would be your pity for yourself.... You aren't thinking of your dreams.... Which will come true..." Michael stated out firmly and Nikita bitterly laughed at Michael's words. Michael didn't take the gesture personally, not even able to figure out how Nikita was feeling now and all he could do was sit there and wait for help.

"Section One isn't meant for dreams Michael..." Nikita finally registered with her own voice quivering and showing her fear. Michael moved his hands, realizing that he was not going to be able to stop the tears and he was only going to be able to reach Nikita on some other level.

"We both believe in ghosts.... Do you think he would have left us if this was going to end your life?" Michael whispered into her ear and Michael held a hand to her chin. He felt his words causing it to jump slightly around.

"You knew how to find me... You alone trusted in something that was beyond both of us, Nikita..." Michael continued in that whisper. He looked around and saw the pain in her head. He pulled his shirt off and rolled it into a ball. Of course the medical personnel would argue and fight against what he was doing, but now what mattered was Nikita's comfort. If Nikita said it was her back, then it was her back. Nikita knew things much more than people allowed her to know them. He placed the shirt underneath her head and looked at her as she studied his chest.

"I can't even touch you, Michael... Even you will leave..." Nikita softly said and Michael shook his head. He looked at Nikita and rubbed at her tears and bent back down to her ear.

"We are more than physical... we connect somewhere else..." Michael responded back and he waited as he slowly allowed his breath to hit the back of her ear, tickling her smoothly.

"Feel me, Nikita..." Michael softly, said as he pulled his body up and then slowly rubbed his chest against her ear, barely touching and Nikita sobbed.

"I feel you everywhere..." Nikita bawled out and Michael approached her head again with his lips and kissed each eye.

"You will do more than that, Nikita.... You are going to be fine...." Michael whispered and he closed his eyes and looked around.

"I dreamt of you when I was out.... I heard you say something..." Michael explained with louder words as he could feel Nikita's breathing coming into a more calmed down pace with just the mere presence of his own breathing.

"What did I say?" Nikita questioned and Michael leaned up and looked into her eyes, seeing that she was waiting. The old Michael, the one that would have laughed at the notion of real live ghosts were running amuck in Section One, wouldn't have believed the dream. This Michael, who looked down at Nikita and knew that it was only swelling in her spine that was stopping the signal of her nerves, believed that dream with all of his heart.

"You were arguing with Jurgen... in the ghost form... and you shouted that you believed in me." Michael said as he looked into her eyes. The blue expanded and grew deeper; ever so slightly that no one else ever realized that Nikita's eyes did that, but Michael himself. He was unsure if Nikita ever noticed it herself.

"It's the truth, isn't it? It happened?" Michael whispered as he pressed two more kisses, one to each eye before he stroked her cheek.

"Yes.." Nikita finally admitted and Michael looked straight into her tearstained eyes with the edged inflamed with redness and knew this his eyes looked down at hers in the same state.

"Then believe in me, Nikita... You are going to be fine." Michael said and Nikita looked at him as he felt the urge to look at her hand, the one that threw the knife. Her fingers were moving, opening and closing her fist.

"I promise." Michael said as Walter walked down the hallway and folded the phone. Walter looked to the stairs, looking out for the arriving team. Michael knew what to do and knew that it pained Walter to see Nikita like this.

"I promise." Michael reiterated.

*

His attention never wavered from Nikita, even as Walter spoke in low tones how the medical personnel were not hopeful for Nikita's injuries. Michael listened to Walter's words and then asked him to go and wait at the door for the van to arrive. He sensed that Nikita, who was unnaturally pessimistic about the events occurring to her, would hear Walter's negative words and he needed no more of the torture to her soul. He was barely holding onto those pieces right now.

"Michael..." Nikita called out and Michael dropped his head from watching Walter moving down the long warehouse and back to Nikita. He didn't wait for Nikita to ask him to go to her; he instantly began to move towards her.

"Nikita... I'm right here... I'm not leaving..." Michael softly said and Nikita looked up with her eyes shining bright, because no matter how much she tried to hold onto Michael's belief, she couldn't stop crying. Nikita's bottom lip began to tremble and Michael sat down next to her side and rubbed his hand to her cheek again and she closed her eyes.

"You may have to Michael.... Don't make this any harder on yourself." Nikita bravely stated out and Michael's mouth fell open with it's own shocked state as his eyes widened. He couldn't believe that Nikita was concerned about what all of this might do to him.

"Don't you worry about me... In fact... Don't worry about yourself. Let me do all the worrying that is to be done." Michael stated as he moved his hand to her forehead. He watched as more tears squeezed out of her eyes and he looked around, wondering where the medical personnel are.

"I'm nothing, Michael...." Nikita softly moaned, finally allowing the internal speaking of her head out, the words that were paining her.

"Nikita... you are something.. You are someone." Michael replied quickly and Nikita closed her eyes tightly, trying to be able to hold onto that thought, those words, but they didn't win the battle. The negative ones were winning in Nikita's head now. They had the full assault weapons on any words that were positive and killed them in seconds.

"Why should it be different now, Michael? I was nothing to my mother and that is the state that I will always be in... I don't matter... and I shouldn't matter to you." Nikita stated and Michael dropped his head in pain. He didn't know if he had the words to battle Nikita's thoughts and images of herself. Madeline had always stated that Nikita wore this mask of being positive and optimistic, but when that dropped and the images of herself were fully exposed, that Nikita was negative and harsh on herself. Michael hadn't seen it till now, that Nikita had for the longest time regarded herself as absolutely nothing, just a body to be used.

Jurgen looked down at the tears on both of the faces. He wanted to escort Yamini to the next realm and he was holding that process up. If he didn't do it soon, she would be stuck as he was. Yet, the tears were too many on Michael's and Nikita's face to ignore. Even Jurgen hadn't seen this turn of events, but also knew that the tears shouldn't be about Nikita's injuries. If Nikita could open her heart again, these injuries would only bring them closer to be, but Jurgen saw the fear that she was having and knew that another ghost wasn't going to make the silent hallways of Section One too crowded. If Section One only knew how many ghosts sat in that area and watched the happenings. Very few of the dead operatives and targets made it to the other realm. Once in Section One, it is like you are stuck there eternity.

"You give me value, Nikita." Michael stated out firmly as he pushed his body up and looked down at her. Her chin stopped moving and Michael saw the reaction his words were getting from her.

"What?" Nikita voice cracked and Michael extended his hand and rubbed it to her cheek, sensing that his words were finally penetrating the constant and excoriating pain that Nikita was suffering in. He waited, as her eyes seemed to clear and focus on his eyes.

"You give me value, Nikita.... That makes you something so much more valuable than anything else in my life." Michael said, repeating the words that stopped the tears and the trembling. He explained it, seeing Nikita's eyes accepting his words.

"Oh, Michael... I'm so scared..." Nikita cried out and Michael nodded his head. He was terrified with what was occurring, but he couldn't be that way. He had to be supportive for Nikita and he needed to remain calm. That was the major reason why he had sent Walter away, he was only going to upset Nikita further with his behavior and actions.

"Don't be afraid, Nikita..." Jurgen said as the ghostly image crystallized in front of Nikita slowly, piece by piece. She wanted to run far away.

"No... I'm going to die now! He has come to take me!" Nikita screamed out, as the door far off in the warehouse slammed open, signaling the arrival of the medical team. Walter would be back in the area soon and it would be time to transport Nikita.

"Nikita... I see him... I see him, Nikita..." Michael said as he turned his head to the ghost and continued to hold the contact with Nikita's cheek.

"You are going to be fine, Nikita... I promise." Jurgen said and Michael turned his head away. Nikita's eyes fluttered and then closed as she was deep in thought.

"No, Jurgen.... I'm not going to believe that because you said it." Nikita declared and Michael closed his eyes now, feeling that nothing was going to calm Nikita down now.

"I'm going to believe it.... Because Michael promised it." Nikita continued and Michael turned to look down at Nikita's face. He brushed a kiss across her lips and then pulled back and stroked her hair away from her face. The footsteps were on the stairs and soon, six other people joined the injured Nikita.

Neither operative noticed Jurgen fading away as Michael continued his uninterrupted connection of his green eyes to Nikita's blue eyes. It was the way that Nikita found some sort of peace in the world of pain she was floating in. She found comfort in those eyes as the men rolled her to the side and rolled her onto the backboard.

Michael walked by her side all the way to the van and then sat by her side. He didn't participate in the grim conversations in the back of the van, which Walter and the medical personnel were certain that Nikita had indeed broken her back.

It was just the two of them, feeling the faith they had in one another. For some, it would have never been enough, for them... it was all that they ever had in the world.

*

Madeline looked at the open door and slowly walked towards it, surprised to find Michael sitting at the computer, typing. She looked at the three days worth of growth on his face and pressed her lips together. His injured knee had been placed in a splint of sorts and was suppose to make Michael rest. Instead, he spent the days watching Nikita sleep in her bed.

"Michael... they are going to wake Nikita soon." Madeline stated as she entered the office and shut the door. She moved to the blinds and looked at them, realizing how much was truly hidden behind them. She turned and looked at Michael as he pushed the keyboard away from his hands and looked at Madeline.

"I know... I'm leaving as soon as I type my unusual incident report Operations is requiring." Michael stated and Madeline nodded her head. She had written Nikita's, since her injures were too great to force her to do anything. Madeline looked around and swallowed as she noticed that all the chairs from Michael's office were gone.

"Where are the chairs?" Madeline questioned and Michael shrugged his shoulders.

"Birkoff said that the ghost must have taken them... I'm sure they will show up." Michael stated calmly, as if ghosts were normal conversation pieces. Madeline pressed her lips together, urging herself to go onto other topics that were easier to talk about and not get into trouble with.

"What you did for Nikita showed incredible insight." Madeline stated and Michael tilted his head to the side and stared at Madeline, unsure of what she was speaking about. "Suggesting that the doctors sedate her for several days. You might have the wrath of Nikita on you, though."

"I won't." Michael simply stated as he pulled at the keyboard and started to press the keys again in rapid movements, ignoring Madeline immediately. Madeline looked at Michael and allowed a silent sigh escape from her mouth as she moved to the other wall of the office. She turned her head around and looked at the bareness of the office, not one sense of who Michael was. There was nothing like her plants in Michael's office, no hobby and Madeline waited as she turned and found Michael had stopped and trained his eyes on her.

"It is going to still be difficult for her, Madeline." Michael stated and Madeline nodded her head. Her brain was sorting and processing, ordering the ideas that she had to form a constant and important thought. She looked away from Michael and then back. Realizing that Michael didn't have a hobby, but he did have Nikita, Madeline stepped to the desk.

"Whatever time she needs Michael." Madeline promised and Michael lifted his eyes, glinting the stormy gray that dropped Madeline's heart to her stomach. She looked off to the side, trying to divert her eyes, only to have them snap back at Michael.

"Don't lie. We know that Section One doesn't just offer time to Level Three operatives." Michael stated and Madeline pressed her lips together and looked to her watch. She had an appointment with Operations to watch the videotape of Nikita waking up soon. Operations had taken great and intense interest in the happenings between the two.

"There is always ways that I can break the rules, Michael." Madeline stated as she looked at her hands and not at Michael. "You already knew that."

"It just makes me wonder why you are going to allow it and what kind of plan do you have in the formation stages in order to use what you are offering." Michael rudely stated back, not one to hold back his emotions now. It was still an adjustment that Madeline hadn't been able to get use too. She had been so busy with things that she was still finding it difficult that Michael was so open with what he was thinking currently.

"I wouldn't even try to promise you anything, Michael. You don't know how to trust a promise if it was written in stone." Madeline commented back as she lifted her head and her hair rolled off of her shoulders. Michael looked at the lengths and turned his head away. Slowly he thought back to Nikita, in medical.

Her room was nice and big, allowing what operatives were brave enough to give her flowers and what not. Yet, for Nikita, they were brave and most sent her something, even if it was a card that Michael had read to her. Michael was sure that in time, Nikita would respond to them all personally, it was just who Nikita was. He thought of how she was just so silent there like the doctors wanted her to be and in a way that Michael had suggested. He couldn't stand that he allowed them to put her into something that seemed like the suspended animation in science fiction. It all seemed so surreal to Michael, but he spent his time next to Nikita, almost like a guard of sorts.

"I trust Nikita and she trusts me." Michael finally remarked and Madeline dropped her head and swallowed. She had heard Walter muttering something about Michael saying things about promises and although it was brave for an operative to admit something like that, it did not shock Madeline.

"Well... an argument could be made that you two know how to rid Section One of our ghosts.... Since you both have been back, there has been no more reported activity." Madeline stated and Michael allowed an exasperated laugh out of his mouth. He pressed his teeth together and shook his head, with his chocolate-cinnamon curls floating in the hair.

"I'm sure they aren't gone... . They just don't have a reason to be vocal anymore..." Michael stated out with his eyes moving away from Madeline.

"I don't think I will ever hear the end of the Ghostbusters theme song." Madeline stated with a slight chuckle. Michael lifted his head and looked around.

"It would be nice if he did come back." Michael stated as he thought about all the questions he did have. Michael dropped his eyes and swallowed. They had never specifically spoke about Jurgen's ghost, and although there were probably rumors floating around that it was Jurgen that both Michael and Nikita were seeing, it hadn't been confirmed but either one of them.

"He?" Madeline questioned and Michael looked at her and sighed. He could continue to lie, to say nothing, to hide the identity. Yet, it was likely that Jurgen would never been seen or heard of again. Nikita was going to recover in time, the doctors had easily said that it was the trauma and not a break in the back that caused the paralysis.

"The ghost was Jurgen, Madeline." Michael said as he moved his eyes away from Madeline and settled in his chair even more. Madeline turned and leaned to the desk.

"When were you going to tell me?" Madeline demanded and Michael stared at the mother of all the operatives and laughed bitterly.

"You would have allowed me to continue to walk around Section One or would you have locked me up?" Michael questioned and he paused. There was no answer from Madeline and Michael stood up and sighed as he looked at the door. He knew that the time was coming to be by Nikita's side, to be there when her eyes opened to find that although she was going to be able to walk in time, that she was still in the nightmarish world that she didn't want any longer.

"I don't think we are going to discuss this. I have to go see Nikita." Michael said as he opened the door and exposed the hallway that he wanted Madeline to walk into. Madeline blinked her eyes and settled on her heals. She looked around the office and then at Michael's stern eyes.

"Michael... It is important that I know the truth." Madeline stated and Michael swallowed. He looked around and knew the words that he was about to say were badly used and were a cliché, but needed to be said.

"You can't handle the truth, Madeline. It is beyond your cold mind." Michael stated and then he pointedly looked to the hallway and then back at Madeline. Slowly she stepped forward until she was even with Michael, looking around the stern face of Michael before walking into the hallway.

Michael looked around the office and closed the door behind him, ready to throw himself in the light of the being known as Nikita and to find the peace that seemed to follow her, no matter what she looked like or what pain she was in.

*

"My you are a sleepy head..." Michael softly joked as he stroked at Nikita's hair. He held one of her hands as the doctor's realized the restraints and added the solution to her body that would counteract the drugs that had forced her body to the slumber that everyone knew was needed. Her eyes were starting to flutter, to open again and to fight to join the world she was afraid that she was going to leave.

"Mi..."

"Shhh...." Michael whispered as he raised his fingers to Nikita's lips, seeing that her eyes hadn't even opened all the way.

"But..."

"Shhh..." Michael restated, knowing what he wanted Nikita to do and believing that he knew the best. She opened her eyes, one at a time and smiled at Michael.

"Will you stop..."

"Nikita... shhh..."

"No."

"No?"

"Yes!"

"Now Nikita, be quiet...."

"Why?"

"Shh..."

"Stop that!"

"I will once you stay quiet, I have something to say...."

"What?"

"Welcome back..." Michael softly smiled as he bent down and kissed her lips. She rolled her head to the side and then moved her head back, surprised by the movement. She was rewarded with one of Michael's rare smiles crossing his face and blessing the movement he had seen.

"When I said you were going to be fine... I really meant it, Nikita..." Michael softly gloated as he traced her eyes with his right hand index finger. He smiled at the pattern he drew and he recreated it as he did the same movement over again.

"What..."

"Shhh... You don't know how to listen do you?" Michael said as he pulled Nikita's hand and lightly kissed it. He watched her swoon with the touch and knew that she was floating up off of the bed with that simple touch of his mouth to the back of her hand.

"I want to know what is going on!" Nikita finally urged out the sentence and Michael nodded his head and grabbed the stool. He positioned the stool next to the bed and pulled his body up onto the wood stool. He slowly looked at Nikita from this angle as he smiled down at her like she was a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. It was almost a sight that Michael was afraid that he wouldn't see again. He would never admit to Nikita how scared he was that she wouldn't be allowed to live and that her injuries were too severe. He would never admit to Nikita how he was willing to carry out her wishes, to give her the extra drugs if her injuries were too severe for recovery, because in the end, the cancellation gun or drugs probably would have been ordered on him.

"You are going to be sore for some time." Michael stated and Nikita lifted her eyes. She paused, and Michael knew that his statement was one that was not needed. It was already known that she was going to have pain for some time yet to come. Michael took Nikita's hand and she happily wrapped her fingers around his hand.

"Tell me the bad stuff, Michael." Nikita stated firmly and Michael looked at her hand and rubbed the knuckles softly. He knew that the movement was only minor and didn't seem like much. Many people wouldn't have noticed but Michael realized how anything that Nikita could feel was a much bigger deal than with other people.

"There isn't too much of that, Nikita.." Michael said, as he looked over her face, glad to see that the swelling in her broken nose was gone and it had been repaired to its former small state. He touched it with his other hand and smiled once again.

"Michael...."

"The most severe injury was the trauma to the T5 vertebrae...." Michael explained and Nikita looked at him with raised eyebrows. "Your back..."

"And?" Nikita questioned carefully as she squeezed his hand, although it was with some difficulty and pain. Michael kissed the hand softly and Nikita smiled at the touch.

"Right now they have you listed as having Quadriparesis..."

"What? I can move my hands!"

"Shh...."

"Don't shh me! I can move my hands, Michael.... And damnit.. I can feel my feet!" Nikita cried out and Michael waited until her words ceased to place several of his fingers over her mouth to stop the words from starting again.

"Let me explain...." Michael protested and he watched Nikita's head flinging from side to side.

"I don't want it explained! I want it changed!" Nikita cried out in anger with tears rolling down her face. The sound of the word kept repeating in her mind, over and over again. Quadriparesis..... Quadriparesis....Quadriparesis....

"Nikita..."

"Michael! I mean it! I can feel everything! So help me, I CAN!" Nikita screamed out and Michael looked over his shoulders, seeing that the doctors were watching. Michael was probably sure they were glad that he had drawn the duty of telling Nikita what was happening with her body and what wasn't happening. Michael was sure that if a doctor told Nikita about the Quadriparesis she would have strangled him just to prove that she could use her hands.

"Quadriparesis is weakness in all four limbs... as your back heals, from rest... They expect a full recovery. And you will no longer have Quadriparesis." Michael stated in a slowness that allowed him to watch Nikita's reaction to each word. He pulled his fingers back once he was sure that Nikita understood exactly what he was saying.

"So, how long am I stuck here?" Nikita questioned and Michael lightly smiled and stroked her hair. He pulled some up and Nikita turned her head and winced.

"At least until you don't wince when you turn your head... they are still concerned over your neck... that is the injury that is hampering your arms... and the back is suppose to effect the abdominal muscles and your legs." Michael said and Nikita pulled her hand away.

"So how long am I stuck here?" Nikita requestioned and Michael rolled his head around and sighed.

"There isn't a set time." Michael stated and Nikita closed her eyes and allowed a few tears to escape. Michael looked around, finding it hard that she was finding sadness again, when she was last awake, she truly believed that she wouldn't be waking back up and that it was the end.

"So I have to lay here, staring at the wall until all the pain is gone?" Nikita said in a voice that was straining to keep an air of calmness to it. Michael was about to nod his head and then blinked his eyes at the blunt wrong idea Nikita had of her recovery.

"No... you can move around... They don't have you in traction or anything.... You can turn on your side and whatever... You will probably have to find a more comfortable position so you don't get bedsores." Michael exclaimed with a bit of humor of her taking of the situation was. Nikita closed her eyes and Michael stroked her head and understood her confusion.

"You've been asleep for three days, Nikita.... Don't expect it all to come back at once..." Michael whispered and Nikita nodded her head and closed her eyes.

"So how long until they start pushing me?" Nikita questioned and Michael shrugged his shoulders. He rubbed his hands to her shoulders and gently touching her neck.

"I don't think the question is of them pushing you... I think it is going to be you pushing yourself." Michael stated as Nikita yawned. She tried to cover her mouth but found that everything was starting to feel muted again, as if she was falling back to sleep.

"If I've been asleep for three days... why am I so tired?" Nikita questioned and Michael smiled and kissed her head. He would wait until she was asleep again, knowing that her body was trying to do something that Nikita always did. The impossible. Her mind had accepted that now she wasn't going to be paralyzed that it was time to get out of the bed like nothing happened.

Michael turned his head as the doctor walked in and explained how they had actually given Nikita more pain medication and that was what was causing her to go back to sleep. Michael frowned and looked at Nikita as she was already gone from the awaken state that she was in. He exited the room after pressing a kiss to Nikita's hairline to go discuss further treatment plans with the doctors.

Keeping Nikita asleep wasn't going to last for long.

*

The doctor spied the light on in the back room before he turned down the hallway. The corner room, the one that Madeline's and Operations' special operatives got into, or the ones that they wanted to have special attention. The one that Nikita was moved into when it was apparent that she was going to be difficult and combative, the one that the doctors wanted to keep where she was and got overruled on.

The door opened and the doctors saw Nikita against the wall, workings on lifting her hands up in the air and then back down. It was just one of the hundreds of exercises that Nikita had done and completed in the past three days. This was her third night and it appeared as if it was going to be just as long as the first two.

"You need to get some sleep." The doctor said as she pointed to the bed. Nikita turned her head and continued with the exercise, showing obvious physical pain in the motions and actions.

"I can't sleep." Nikita said and the doctor moved over and grabbed Nikita's hand. She started to lead Nikita back to the bed, but Nikita was pulling back.

"You need to at least lay in the bed and rest. The therapy is no good if you overdo it." The doctor said and Nikita rolled her head up and around, agitated to say the least.

"I can't sleep." Nikita repeated and the doctor nodded her head. She had known that Nikita was not sleeping. In fact, the past two nights, she had similar conversations with Nikita and did not win in any of those conversations. Yet, it was getting difficult to deal with the woman, as she badly needed at least a few hours sleep if not much more. Nikita was angry and continually getting more combative with the more movement she was able to gain.

"At least get on the bed and relax." The doctor said as she pulled the blankets back for Nikita again. Nikita pouted and dropped her head and sprawled out on her side.

"Why don't you roll over?" The doctor questioned as she fluffed the pillows for Nikita. Instead of getting Nikita onto her back, where she thought that the force of nature would cause Nikita to drift to sleep easier, Nikita sat up and stared at the doctor. There was pain in Nikita's face and she tilted her head to the side to look at the patient she couldn't wait to get rid of.

"You know I can't lay on my back! It hurts too much!" Nikita exclaimed with a loud voice and the doctor dutifully bowed her head. She knew that anything less could put her life in danger. She was nod kidding herself that Nikita was too hurt to cause physical harm. She had already caused one broken nose and the doctor was not about to make Nikita more upset.

"Yes, Nikita.. I forgot..." The doctor said in a soft voice, hoping to pacify Nikita. The entire medical staff had decided on trying to listen to everything that Nikita was saying and not making her more upset. It was hoped if they could keep her environment unstressful, that she would go asleep. It didn't work last night and if anything it seemed to make Nikita more worried and showing signs of extreme anxiety. It was this doctor's personal opinion that the banning of Michael was the worst thing the medical staff thought of.

"I can't sleep! I might as well do something!" Nikita cried out as she tried to move her feet and then grunted with pain. Her body was having a different set of ideas of what it was going to do and what it wasn't going to do.

"You are in pain... Maybe some medicine..." the doctor offered, going off of what everyone had agreed upon. It hadn't worked and now they were going onto another night of possibly having Nikita up the entire time. It wasn't healthy for Nikita.

"No. I have had more pain than this before." Nikita stated out as she used her hands to pull nervously on her ponytail. The doctor pulled up her chart and swallowed.

"I can't sleep!" Nikita screamed for no reason. The doctor looked behind her back to see if someone had walked past the room that Nikita had seen to cause Nikita's loud declaration, but that was not the case.

"If you can't sleep... why don't I give you something to aid your sleep?" the doctor gently questioned and Nikita shook her head violently back and forth, in the motion that everyone warned Nikita was going to be counterproductive. Yet, she continued to do the movement, but it was probably because she was too tired to even remember that it was bad for her.

"NO! I don't want to sleep." Nikita said as she lifted her head and looked above the doctor's head.

"We've explained the importance of sleep...." The doctor declared and Nikita was able to reach for her hand and twist it harshly.

"Yes we have. But what we should discuss now is the fact that Madeline, Operations, and Michael have ordered the medical staff to honor my decisions about medicines and medical treatment." Nikita said and the doctor pulled her arm away and rubbed at the wrist, knowing that it was going to bruise quickly from the strength that Nikita had used to wrench it around. Nikita's arms definitely were doing fine.

"What are you trying to say, Nikita?" the doctor questioned, narrowing her eyes. It was for medical purposes that Nikita took pills now, to get sleep. It was always a bad idea when those people that had no medical knowledge, ordered the doctors around, because it meant bad things happening to good operatives. The results of Nikita's therapy were just going to get bad, because she wasn't sleeping and allowing her body to heal itself.

"Shut up about medicines and leave me alone." Nikita hissed out and the doctor dropped the chart and looked at the young woman. She rubbed her eyes with the palms of her hands, showing that she was absolutely too tired. There had to be a reason why she didn't want to sleep, but that wasn't the medical doctors to assess.

"I hope you can relax and sleep." The doctor said as she moved out of the room and then closed the door. She looked at the monitor and noticed Nikita rolling onto her side and crying heavily. The doctor looked to the door and knew that rest of the medical staff may hate what she was going to do, but it needed to be done.

She called Madeline for immediate action.

*

Michael just closed his computer as he pulled for his jacket. There was a change in the incoming source of light from the hallway and he stopped and turned. Madeline stood there, in her traditional dark plum clothing, twisting her hands in front of her waist. Michael shifted back and placed the jacket back down on the back of the chair.

"What is it, Madeline? A briefing?" Michael questioned and Madeline shook her head and entered the office. She closed the door and waited for Michael to turn a light source on. Slowly he opened the blinds, not seeing the sense of turning his light on.

"I got a call from medical." Madeline stared out and Michael sat back down as Madeline moved to the window. Michael was deep in the shadows and she could not read his facial expressions. She leaned against the wall, feeling the effects of being pulled from her sleep to talk to the first doctor in medical that was starting to understand Nikita well enough to be of assistance.

"What?" Michael questioned but Madeline could hear the unsaid questioned under the one word question. He was questioning what was happening with Nikita and what did they need him to do.

"Nikita hasn't slept the past two nights... and she has declared that she isn't sleeping tonight." Madeline said and she waited in the silence. She cursed herself for allowing Michael to stay in the dark, but any additional movement now would only put Michael on the defensives. She was sure that Michael was worried about this information.

"Has she slept during the day?" Michael questioned back, with an infliction of worry on his voice. Madeline moved away from the window, not seeing the sense of allowing Michael to see her facial expressions.

"Michael, she isn't sleeping, period. Something must be done." Madeline harshly replied, already feeling the effects of not sleep enough herself.

"You are telling me this, why? I am banned from medical." Michael rudely stated, although Madeline was sure that Michael knew exactly why she was telling him this information. It was a game that Madeline didn't want to play on this night, but one that was going to be played either way.

"I've lifted that." Madeline stated as she moved again, back to the window, liking the effects of the conversation she was getting when Michael was at least viewing some of her body language. She did not want Michael thinking that she did not care at all about this situation. The fact was, Madeline was terrified with what Nikita was doing to her body by staying awake and she was terrified with the possible reasons why Nikita wasn't sleeping.

"And what do you want me to do?" Michael questioned coolly, all hints of concerned left out of his voice, but Madeline knew better. It was hiding inside of the green eyes that she didn't have the opportunity to view at this time. A way that Michael kept all the chips in his office, controlling power even over Madeline at this time. He was very effective at this time.

"I think you know what I want you to do?" Madeline stated back to Michael as she tilted her head back to look at the hallway. It was so bright out there in comparison of the darkness of the office. She listened to Michael shifting in his chair and then his body standing up. He moved to the window to look at Madeline, but still staying out of the light.

"What if I don't?" Michael questioned as she connected with the eyes that were the only part of Michael's body that she could honestly make out. She stared into those eyes and swallowed.

"Don't make this painful like pulling teeth, Michael. You know what I'm asking you for." Madeline stated as she stepped forward, closer to Michael.

"You are asking me to do something? I think you should just tell me what to do." Michael stated bitterly out and Madeline pressed her lips together, hating the tone that Michael was using and the situation that she was in. She was not going to beg Michael to do what was correct and she wasn't going to tell Michael what to do, because it may be the wrong decision.

"Only you know Nikita. You probably have an idea what is keeping Nikita awake." Madeline stated and Michael nodded his head as he reached for Madeline's hands.

"Something you deny still." Michael remarked and Madeline pulled her hands away.

"Ghosts don't exists." Madeline rudely confirmed as she turned her entire body to look out the window. Michael suddenly was in the light, looking at Madeline. She turned her head and looked at his drawn face.

"Ghosts may not cause problems for you know... but ghosts can live in our heads for years... Aren't they the same things as memories?" Michael pointed out and Madeline dropped her head, unable to respond to Michael's poetic-like words.

"I see your point." Madeline finally struggled to say and Michael moved back into the shadows.

"And you are asking me to stop Nikita's ghosts?" Michael questioned and Madeline pressed her lips together. She hadn't wanted to say that, but it was getting to be a waste of time and Nikita truly did need Michael at this time.

"Please." Madeline simply stated and Michael raised his eyebrows. The shock on Michael's face was hidden in the shadows and he slowly smiled, realizing the power he did have in these moments and he had had for the entire conversation.

"So you are giving me permission to heal Nikita's emotional wounds any way I see fit?" Michael posed in question form, wanting to be very exact. He wanted to hear the words out of Madeline's mouth, to know that she knew exactly what she wanted to happen.

"There is only one way to help Nikita and we both know what the way is." Madeline stated and Michael moved back to his desk and picked his coat up without a noise. He turned back to Madeline and sighed.

"Me?" Michael questioned with a voice that was on the borderline of being pompous.

"Of course you, Michael." Madeline stated as she tried to find his eyes in the complete darkness of the office. The door opened and Michael appeared in the doorway.

"Then I don't know why you are still in my office." Michael stated as he turned and walked down the hallway off to see Nikita.

*

The sight was as Michael had expected from the way the conversation had happened in his office with Madeline. The light to the very private room was still glaring and the sobs from Nikita's eyes and mouth were continuing. He paused and watched as she looked like she had coiled all of her muscles into tight balls, being tense. Tension of the muscles were the exact thing that the doctors did not want Nikita to do.

"Nikita... why are you still up?" Michael softly questioned as he turned the lights down some, to make the room more conducive to sleeping in. He moved to the bed as Nikita moved up on her side, showing the pain that she was definitely in.

"I can't sleep." Nikita stated with more tears crossing her tear-soaked face. Michael moved his eyes from side to side as he sat down on the stool that was sitting next to the bed. He pulled down the hospital bars and reached for her shoulder that she wasn't leaning on.

"Nightmares?" Michael questioned and Nikita nodded her head up and down as she tried to form words. He stroked her carefully, seeing that it was creating more pain, which was the opposite of what he wanted to do.

"Not nightmares... as in when I fall asleep... I close my eyes and I see him..." Nikita explained and Michael nodded his head and sighed.

"You see Jurgen." Michael stated and Nikita nodded her head as she moaned. Michael rubbed her face lightly with the pads of his fingertips.

"I can't sleep, Michael... I don't want to sleep... I can't..." Nikita said as she moved her head against the pillow that she seemed to be strangling, holding it to her chest.

"Can you try? I'll be right here." Michael said as he stood up and kissed her forehead. Nikita closed her eyes and cried out and opened the eyes quickly.

"Maybe if you lay on your back..."

"I can't do that, Michael... The pain..."

"Ok... Sorry... Just try, Nikita." Michael whispered tenderly. He continued to stand and then rubbed his hands through her hair and then across her face.

"I feel him... make him go away... Michael... please.. I can't sleep!" Nikita started to moan and struggle. Michael looked to the door and used his one foot to pull off the black tennis shoes he was wearing and then the next one.

"Ok... Nikita... I'll help you sleep..." Michael whispered as he pulled the black turtleneck off to expose the black T-shirt he had on. He looked around and walked to the other end of the bed. He pulled the bars down and slid onto the bed.

"Come here, Nikita..." Michael said as he settled on the bed. Nikita moved onto her stomach and collapsed her head onto his stomach, finding peace on being on his chest, feeling the breathing and his heart.

"Oh Michael..." Nikita cried out and Michael rubbed her hair as her hands started to squeeze his body tightly, just like she was holding the pillow.

"Shhh... I have you... Sleep Nikita..." Michael softly whispered as he pressed a kiss to her head.

"Sleep.." Michael softly repeated as he held Nikita and felt her sobs stopping. In the ten minutes that Michael had been inside of Section One, Nikita had fallen asleep. He kept his own eyes open for sometime and saw Madeline looking into the room and at them. Slowly he bent her head and allowed his own sleep to come. They found the healing they needed and the peace they needed with the bodies and souls of the other.

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