Her eyes clouded with tears.

For just being alone. Not because of Patrick. Not because of Michael. For just being alone.

Nikita removed her coat and turned the lights out, now finding the soft light more than enough to make her way around the apartment. She neglected the thirst in her mouth and moved deeper into the apartment, to the sitting room.

It was lit with just full moon. Nikita walked in and was stopped by that image.

An image that could only be that of Michael.

Nikita crumbled to her knees as she didn't make it to the chair that was placed there. Nikita stared out of the window to the moon, feeling everything that she had ever thought about Michael swamp her eyes at once, trying to make her cry like a little baby.

Nikita leaned her head back and allowed the moonlight to blind her eyes. The pure light poured into the room and bathed Nikita's body. It made her emotional pain hurt even more, but it also allowed Nikita to feel alive for a long time.

It also brought forth the truth.

The full moon, was Nikita's heart full of love for Michael. It may wane, but it was always there.

In that moment, Nikita wanted to go back with Michael, but also in that moment, she wished to be part of that moon. She knew in her heart, that she wasn't full, that she would never be complete as she always dreamed of.

It was a sad thing to think about.

Nikita cried the tears that she had and lifted her head, looking straight up to the moon. It would not represent anything else than what her love for Michael was and remind her as it graced the skies of the love that she knew could never die, no matter how many things Section One, or Section Eight did, or how many things she did, or how many things that Michael did.

It had taken her about an hour to stand up and place her hands on the cool window pane. The glass was smooth at her touch as Nikita pressed closer, as she felt she was swimming in the sky, closer and closer to the moon. In fact, the moon seemed to be getting bigger and brighter. It was moving towards her, making Nikita's body to tremble and quake.

She turned abruptly.

"Michael!" Nikita exclaimed as her hands dropped from the window and to her side. She looked out to the dark hallway with Michael holding a candle in his hand. She didn't wonder how he got in, as she stared at him. In fact, Nikita couldn't even form words as she tried to wipe the evidence of her tears off of her face.

"I was worried.... I knew you were in here... and I got the table ready for dinner..." Michael stated to explain, but he watched as Nikita's eyebrows furrowed with confusion.

"Dinner?" Nikita questioned and Michael nodded his head as he looked down at the candle. It's light was spreading a warm glow over Michael's face. Michael was looking at a similar gorgeous image of Nikita's hair shimmering in the moonlight.

"I was going to surprise you..." Michael stated and Nikita dropped her head as she lightly laughed. He really didn't know why she was like this now and she started to move towards the hallway. She watched Michael take a step back for every step she took forward. He was going to be careful and Nikita appreciated his effort.

"What are we having?" Nikita questioned as she looked at the additional candles that Michael had placed on the little bistro table and lit.

"Take out Chinese," Michael stated as he showed the little white boxes. Nikita smiled and looked around the room. Nikita slowly took her seat as Michael started to dish out the food. She was silent as Michael handed her the chopsticks and they started to eat.

It was nice for a while to be able to sit there with Michael, and just eat. Just being in his presence was making Nikita feel better, but there was something there that nagged at Nikita. She turned her head slightly and saw the full moon, looking down at them. It was like it was waiting to give permission to Nikita to do something and Nikita dropped her chopsticks.

Michael briefly looked up and then went on to perfectly pick the rice up in the chopsticks and eat it. Nikita marveled at every detail, remembering how long it had taken Michael to train Nikita in eating with chopsticks. It was part of her etiquette training, that not everyone had to go through. Nikita was about to pick her chopsticks back up and start to eat again when she saw the grain of rice stuck on Michael's lip. It took him a very long time for his tongue to snake out and to whisk it away.

In that moment, Nikita couldn't eat anything more. The silence, although at first nice, was starting to irritate Nikita. She leaned back in the chair and crossed her legs underneath herself as she continued to watch Michael. At first she wondered how long it was going to take Michael to stop eating. She didn't have to think that long as he stopped and dropped his chopsticks. His eyes were longingly staring into her eyes.

"Something wrong, Kita?" Michael questioned and Nikita gasped at the way he had addressed her. She felt a shiver run the length of her body from skull to base.

"You knew I was crying... why didn't you ask about it?" Nikita questioned and Michael tilted his head off to the side. He looked off to the side and then frowned.

"I didn't think it was my business to ask," Michael stated and Nikita threw her hands up as she sprung her body off of the chair. Michael stayed in his seat until it was clear that Nikita was gone out of the room. He leaned over and blew the candles out and followed behind Nikita.

"Kita..." Michael called out and Nikita stopped at the doorway of her bedroom. His voice. His personal way of saying her name.

"Michael... why are you here tonight?" Nikita questioned without turning around. She couldn't allow herself to turn around until she knew the answer to her question.

"I'm here for me, Kita.... Can't we be together without Section One and Section Eight for one night?" Michael questioned and Nikita turned around as she pushed her hair out of her face with her fingers. She stared for a long time at Michael as she tried to find the strength of her voice.

"I was going to ask that," Nikita admitted as she started to step backwards. She looked around the room and noticed that she had walked into her bedroom. She didn't know why she had run there, if it was on purpose or if it was by mistake.

But there she was. Michael was in her bedroom.

Michael reached out and palmed her cheek in his hand. Nikita melted against that touch and closed her eyes. She couldn't help herself when the tears flowed from her eyes. She couldn't remember when a simple touch ever meant so much and ever felt as good as it did now.

"Didn't Patrick touch you?" Michael whispered and Nikita opened her bloodshot blue eyes and stared at Michael. She raised her hand and covered Michael's hand as he stood there, finding Nikita enchanting, even more than she ever had been.

"Never here..." Nikita rustled out with a soft voice that was almost nothing more than a breeze. Michael's eyes opened as he stared at their hands on her face. He was touched deeply.

"You are so beautiful, my Kita..." Michael whispered back as he leaned in closer to Nikita. He watched as Nikita's eyes rapidly moved from side to side. He watched as her eyes expanded with each hot wisp of air come out of his mouth. She was tense and relaxed in the same moment. Ready for him. Ready for them.

"This is about us, tonight, Michael.." Nikita spoke and Michael nodded his head as did Nikita.

"Mon petit papillon..." Michael whispered as he rubbed his lips against the skin above Nikita's lips. It was so close, but so far away from where Nikita wanted his lips to be. She opened her eyes and looked at him.

"I'm not so little anymore..." Nikita whispered and Michael nodded his head. He reached his hands up and caressed her hair back off of her face. He looked into her innocent face, knowing exactly where Nikita touched him... in his heart and then all over his body.

"You will always be... mon petit papillon..." Michael whispered as he finally leaned forward and pressed his lips against Nikita's. The fervor of the kiss grew quickly as Michael and Nikita helped each other down to the bed, to start pulling at the clothes.

Michael pulled away and stared at Nikita, "Did Patrick ever give you a pet name?"

"No..." Nikita responded as she reached out and touched at Michael's shirt. He pulled it away and immediately connected his lips to Nikita's lips again. He unbuttoned Nikita's shirt and started to pull away Nikita's bra.

"Did Patrick know you as I do?" Michael questioned and Nikita looked at Michael. She wanted to protest at Michael. She didn't want Michael to compare himself to Patrick. To her, they were two different men, both of which she loved.

She was about to find how far more Michael loved her. And how short Patrick's love was.

It wasn't the act that made the difference. It was the man. Where Patrick was quickly, Michael drew out. He knew what Nikita wanted without speaking, when Patrick had to question and ask for prompts. Michael was sure, and Patrick was always unsure.

Before their clothes were even off, the magic was there. Each touched was an electric bolt coursing through Nikita's body, never to cease before the next touch occurred.

"Oh... Kita..." Michael whispered as he dropped his head to her neck. Nikita leaned back and felt the last scrap of material slide away. They were exposed to each other like they hadn't been in a long time. Nikita arched her back as Michael kissed at that little dip of her neck, over and over again bathing it with long strokes.

There was no more comparing to Patrick. In fact, Patrick had left Nikita's mind, as Patrick knew would happen once Nikita was allowed to thing freely about Michael again, to be with Michael again.

Simply, the magic grew.

The movements were rushed, but slowed. Michael pressed his rough fingertips against each and every pressure point of pleasure for Nikita. He held her body tingling for more with a simple flick of his wrist.

His fingers found Nikita warm and inviting. It caused Nikita to gasp and moan. She arched her back, she cried.

They moved as one. They were one.

Nikita couldn't wait and hold back. She turned over on Michael, finding the need to be with him too much. The meshing of their bodies froze Nikita, and Michael flipped her back down to the bed.

They hungrily kissed, like they had both never kissed before.

Nikita crossed her long legs around Michael's waist and cried out with joy and happiness. She sang out her pleasure in ceaseless moans and groans.

As did Michael.

They moved faster and faster, but did not lose the grace or the simple touch. Michael continued to go back to stroking Nikita's cheek, knowing how he seemed to have branded her there. He dropped his head and leaned into her ear as his control was slipping.

"Mon petit papillon.." Michael groaned as Nikita's world explodes with the thousands of colors that only Michael knew how to make happen. She clung onto him as their movements slowed.

It took time for both to come down.

Hot and sticky, and Michael wrapped his arms around Nikita and pulled a blanket up and over their bodies. Nikita sighed as Michael continued to hold her, his breath close on her neck.

And she started to cry.

"Tears? Kita?" Michael questioned, suddenly afraid that he had moved to quickly, that he had been wrong. He didn't want to cause anymore pain to Nikita.

"This is what I missed the most..." Nikita whispered as she tried to hold her eyes closed, willing the tears to go away. But Michael held her tighter and looked at her, seeking an answer. Nikita looked at his hands that were around her shoulders.

"What?" Michael whispered and Nikita leaned her head back until she locked with Michael's eyes.

"I missed being held... knowing that it wasn't just about sex..." Nikita whispered and Michael blinked his eyes, still feeling lost with Nikita's words.

"Patrick would turn away afterwards... and I would hug myself.... I would hug myself... Wishing... wishing.. wishing..." Nikita struggled to say until finally she broke away, unable to form any more words.

"Wishing for what Nikita?" Michael prodded, as he almost knew he could finish Nikita's sentence, but knew he had to be right and that he had to hear it from Nikita's mouth.

"Wishing that I was with you... because you couldn't help but hold me..." Nikita admitted as she turned her head towards Michael. He tenderly kissed Nikita's forehead and soon, they both feel asleep like that.

Michael's mouth kissing Nikita's peaceful forehead.

***

The candles were gone by the time Michael woke, alone in bed. He looked around and watched as the door opened.

Nikita was dressed it black.

"You go back to Section One today," Nikita announced and turned away. She stalked out of the room and Michael looked around.

He pulled on his pants in a rush, knowing that he had to talk to Nikita about this one.

*

Michael turned around in the hallway quickly, finding the hallway empty of the person he was seeking. He turned around quickly, feeling as if the entire world was moving too fast for him to catch up in.

In the past, it had always been himself that made gestures or words like the ones that Nikita told him. She had pulled away, abruptly, when in the past it had been Michael seeking that distance. Michael was searching now because he knew those words were not what was in Nikita's heart. He saw Nikita's heart last night in the tears that she cried. He felt Nikita's heart. Those words were far from her heart.

Michael turned to the right and stopped as he saw the blonde hair that he had sought. He looked both ways as he approached, not wanting to make this public, but would if he had too.

"Nikita... we have to talk..." Michael stated as he grabbed her arm and turned her around. Nikita stared at him and Michael chilled. It was like looking into his own face. Michael mentally shook himself out of the fog and started to form words.

"There is nothing to talk about, Michael. You are going back to Section One in the next ten minutes. Madeline and Operations are awaiting for your return," Nikita stated bluntly without shuttering with mentioning the Section One leaders.

"How? I was on a mission, Nikita. They want you to come back," Michael stated and he stopped his words. He allowed his heart to think positively for three seconds, but stopped as he knew better. He saw Nikita within Section Eight and knew in some strange way, she belonged there for the time being.

"I'm not going back with you... I called George yesterday... They don't know about last night," Nikita stated as she moved closer to Michael. Michael shook his head as he looked at Nikita's eyes. He couldn't believe she had done all of this.

"You went over my head. You know what Madeline and Operations are going to think..." Michael stated and Nikita shook her head as she tapped her fingers on her other hand.

"Actually, Madeline and Operations will feel that you wasted time... since your advance were used..." Nikita stated with a smile. She turned on a computer screen and looked at the lovely computer work that had happened with the skill of Steward.

"Don't worry... nothing taped us last night... The operatives were too busy emptying your apartment," Nikita stated coldly and Michael turned as Nikita moved past him. He was never one to feel out of place, but right now, he didn't know where he was.

"What about last night, Nikita? Was it a ploy to trap me in this plot?" Michael hissed and Nikita turned around as she stood in the middle of the hallway. She was ready to walk him out the door and to be done with this mess. She looked at Michael and leaned her head back.

"I don't want to discuss last night, Michael," Nikita stated with a strong voice, but there was just that one strand that quivered. Michael narrowed his eyes and knew that Nikita heard that voice also.

"I didn't play you, Nikita..." Michael warned as he stared at Nikita. Nikita bit back the tears, knowing from the look on Michael's face how much this was tearing him apart. Nikita ached to reach out and touch him and to comfort him.

But the plan was more important.

"And you think I was playing you?" Nikita questioned as she turned. Michael watched in disbelief as Nikita huffed her way down the hallway like a teenager. Michael looked around and followed behind him.

"Nikita! Stop!" Michael finally hollered out, and when Nikita continued, the anger won.

Michael sprinted ahead and pushed Nikita harshly against the wall. Nikita stared at him with her cold blue eyes.

"What are you doing, Michael?" Nikita hissed out. Michael pushed in closer to Nikita. Had the anger gone away, he would have kissed her. But it was there. Growing.

"No, Nikita... What are you doing?" Michael ordered out and Nikita shook her head back and forth.

"I asked first."

"I have you against the wall," Michael fired back as his eyes turned near black. Nikita looked down the hallway and swallowed. She wanted to do this all by herself and made sure that everything went the way she wanted too. Now, if Michael got too violent, she would just get the brunt of it.

Not that Nikita was scared.

"You came too soon, Michael.... You won't be back here until it is on my terms..." Nikita stated out, trying to give Michael the key. Wishing that he would listen to her simple words of wisdom. When Michael shook his head back and forth, Nikita knew that Michael hadn't caught on.

"Don't plan anything, Nikita. You aren't going to beat Section One," Michael hissed out, worried about Nikita's crazy plans. Of course, she had proven to be well above any of the scores that Section One had on her, but Michael worried.

"Maybe I am not after Section One," Nikita replied back and Michael dropped his hands and allowed Nikita to lean against the wall by herself. Nikita rubbed her face as she moved away from Michael.

"Michael... don't get involve... Go back to Section One... Do as you always do... All you have to do is stay alive," Nikita stated and Michael looked at Nikita. He was thinking of doing just as Nikita stated, but now that he had started questioning, he couldn't stop himself.

"What if your plan doesn't work?" Michael questioned and Nikita shrugged her shoulders.

"You would never know..." Nikita cryptically stated and Michael paled. He looked to the hallway and saw his things. She had her operatives close down his apartment last night.

"What can I do to help? I don't care who you are after.... What can I do to help?" Michael questioned and Nikita shook her head back and forth. Her eyes were solid as she was absolutely sure of her answer.

"I already told you, Michael.... Go back to Section One... do as you always do... and stay alive..." Nikita stated and Michael turned his head off to the side. Those were the hardest words to listen too. Michael knew that Nikita would shut down all ties with him as soon as he walked out the door and back to Section One. He wanted to know what to expected.

But he also wanted to trust Nikita.

"And last night?" Michael whispered out as he moved closer to the door that stood there. Time was ticking down above the door and Michael knew that soon, Nikita would push him out. She didn't even have to answer this question if she didn't want too.

"Was between us, Michael... You and Me.... No Section Eight... No Section One..." Nikita spoke out as she did last night. Michael looked at Nikita and reached out. His hand feel automatically on her cheek. He could see how difficult it was for Nikita to remain strong.

"I don't want to leave..." Michael whispered out and Nikita blinked her eyes and kept them closed for several pregnant seconds. She lifted her eyes and stared at Michael.

"Don't make this more difficult," Nikita warned out and Michael moved in closer. He grazed a kiss to Nikita's forehead.

"You have been lying to yourself for so long, Nikita.... For one night you allowed the truth out... How can you willingly go back to lying to yourself again?" Michael questioned. He watched the minuscule reactions to his words in Nikita's eyes as she tried to find something to give back to Michael. She rubbed her arms as Michael's body leaned in again, searching for a kiss.

Nikita stepped back and away from his touch.

"Something are more important Michael... and I don't expect you to understand.... As I said when you came into Section Eight... You never knew me..." Nikita stated out as she stared a hole through Michael. The door popped open and Michael looked out to the van that was waiting for him.

"Don't send me now, Nikita... You have so much more to learn..." Michael stated as he tried to reach out to Nikita again. She sidestepped his attempt and looked to the van.

"I think it is you that has to learn, Michael..." Nikita hissed out as she wrapped her arms around her body. It felt as if her heart was being torn out of her body. The past couple weeks were the best weeks that Nikita had inside of Section Eight, but now, her heart hurt as much as it did when Patrick died.

"You are making a mistake, Nikita..." Michael warned and Nikita shook her head with a peaceful smile on her face. She sighed and rolled her shoulders slightly.

"This is definitely not a mistake, Michael.... Now you are going to be late..." Nikita said as she picked up the duffel back and handed it to Michael.

She avoided his touch once more and Michael turned and left. She watched as the van was loaded and Michael disappeared. The door closed and Nikita stared at it.

She ached to allow him to stay. She reached out and touched the door, feeling her heart quake with the lost, with the realization that she was truly alone now inside of Section Eight.

Nikita knew that he wouldn't come back now if he wanted too.

Just as she planned.

And she hated her plan.

Nikita turned and saw Steward standing there, just as she had told him to be. Nikita looked to the door for a few last glances before moving closer to Steward.

"The tracking device is planted... activate it..." Nikita stated in a cold voice, as if she was checking it off a mental list. Steward looked to the door and swallowed. He knew that Nikita had told him that she would plant a device on Michael, but for him not to know it, was going to be near impossible.

Now Nikita could do the impossible.

"I want you to run the computer scan... take his passwords and codes... and get into his computer at Section One..." Nikita stated and Steward nodded his head and he looked to Nikita. He didn't see why he needed to get into the computer now.

"I'll be down to help setup a program for when Michael changes his passwords... the tracker will help picking it up... but we should be able to get into Birkoff's network of firewalls and have the passwords sent to us..." Nikita stated as she continued to walk down the hallway, in a rush. She turned and looked back to the door for a second.

"What are we looking for?" Steward questioned and Nikita stopped her movements. She looked up and down the hallways.

"For a mission to play hide and seek in..." Nikita stated with a small smile on her face.

She loved it when a good plan came together. It even made the personal pain not hurt as much.

*

Black

Deep, dark, black.

The room seemed endless, the light from the hallway that was behind Steward, barely made anything visible.

Vast.

Black.

Dark.

"Nikita?" Steward called out as he looked into the darkness. This was the room that he had been told by three operatives that Nikita was in, making adjustments. Steward stared in the room for a long time, finding that everything that Nikita had been doing of late was odd and without explanation.

First it was the personal training room she made. She had overridden all the cameras and turned them away from the room, not wanting any information on what she was doing and how she was doing getting out to the operatives. Steward tried hacking into the computer files that Nikita had created, but learned quickly.

Nikita was a master of hiding things she didn't want seen.

"Steward..." Nikita's voice whispered from the middle of the darkness. Suddenly, there was a light and just Nikita's face. Steward shook his head as he looked around the room, not daring to move away from the door. He needed the light.

"What are you doing, Nikita?" Steward questioned and he watched as Nikita's face smile. She was pleased with her newest creation, something that she was gladly going to show off once everything worked as it should have. She didn't like how the light reacted after her voice, so that was just one more bug that needed to be worked out.

"It will become apparent soon enough, Steward... Until then... just worry about what you are assigned to worry about," Nikita stated and Steward shook his head. He had a hard time any longer understanding what Nikita was doing and why. That was probably the biggest question on Steward's mind.

Why?

"You've spent a lot of resources on this room, Nikita... Why?" Steward questioned. He had asked about one hundred variations of this question for the past week. Each day, there seemed to be more questions of why than the day before. The only thing Steward could tie this all back to was Michael, who he had been monitoring everyday and virtually every hour for the past eleven days.

Michael wasn't extremely exciting to watch all the time.

"Have you ever had amnesia, Steward?" Nikita questioned as she clicked the light off. Steward stared at the spot she had been at and looked around the room. He really couldn't tell how far away she was from him or not. She moved silently, or at least, Steward thought she moved.

"No, Nikita... I have never had amnesia," Steward replied and he looked behind him, wondering if Nikita had just found a way to give him the slip.

"Have you ever known anyone who had amnesia?" Nikita questioned as her face was illuminated much further back in the room. This time, she was pleased with the action of the light.

"No... Nikita... I have never known anyone who has amnesia... What does amnesia have to do with any of this? This makes no sense at all!" Steward stated as he allowed his anger to surface. It was something that he didn't allow to happen often and he dropped his head. He looked up to see that Nikita had cut the distance between herself and him.

"If you don't have any concept of what it is like to have amnesia... there is nothing I can do to describe enough why this plan has to succeed," Nikita stated out with bitter words. Steward shook his head back and forth.

The darkness was starting to get inside of his soul.

"Try me, Nikita.... We are just wondering why we are working so hard... on something that we don't know about!" Steward shouted and Nikita turned the light off.

Steward started to sweat.

He didn't know where Nikita was.

She was in the darkness that seemed to surround Steward now. He could swear he could feel Nikita's breath on his body. He started to shift his weight from side to side. He didn't know where she was.

"Nikita?" Steward called out and there was nothing.

Just silence.

And darkness.

"Things are not always what they seem to be..." Nikita quoted, but this time there was no light. Steward looked off to his right and then to his left. Steward started to shrink backwards and swallowed.

"Lights!" Nikita called out and suddenly the lights from above turned on, showing the walls of black and one lone chair. Steward inched in and looked at Nikita as she touched the metal chair with a motherly touch.

"Why are you questioning me now, Steward? Something is on your mind and I want to know what it is..." Nikita stated as she perched herself on top of the chair. Steward looked around the room, feeling the heat that was generated by the black floor and walls and the lights.

"Was this a big plan from the time you came to Section Eight, Nikita? Did you expect Section One to kill Patrick so you could do this crazy thing?" Steward finally questioned and Nikita blinked her eyes as she stared at Steward.

"I know you don't like me Steward... You never really did... But how dare you think that of me?" Nikita hissed back as the tears started to form in her eyes. She turned her head away from Steward and tugged at her flowing blonde hair. She started to twist it and pull it up before turning back to Steward.

"Why shouldn't I think that, Nikita? I have video tape of you and Michael... talking of a plan... You and Michael were gone for a night? You always loved Michael didn't you?" Steward attacked and Nikita looked at Steward as she slide down into the chair. She looked almost comfortable there as she chose her next words.

"Steward... with Patrick's last words... what did he tell me?" Nikita questioned back with a very meek voice. Steward turned his head off to the side. He didn't want to be persuade away from his thoughts about this. Nikita swallowed and decided to continue. "He told me that he was going back to his love.... HIS LOVE... You question my love... while Patrick admitted that he loved Theresa... and that was who he wanted to be with..."

"It's all too neat Nikita... You have control to do anything you want to do!" Steward responded and Nikita nodded her head as she folded her hands on her lap.

"Yes... I do... but if you look back to the paperwork for this room... it was placed in with George two weeks before I got control... But that shouldn't matter..." Nikita stated as she slowly stood up. Steward swallowed as he looked up at Nikita.

"Nikita..." Steward stated and Nikita looked off to the side and smiled with a touch of the devil mixed in.

"Lights!" Nikita shouted and the darkness plunged around them. Steward started to move and ran into the wall. He swallowed as he swore Nikita was right next to him. He turned out and tried to strike out. He got nothing but air.

"Amnesia is like standing in this room... Do you know anything Steward?" Nikita questioned. She didn't need the answer. She could hear his panting race in response.

"Do you think you know where the door is? Go ahead... go for the door Steward..." Nikita taunted Steward. He made a dash off to the right a bit and touched the wall. He slammed his hand harshly against the wall as there was no door.

"Frustrating, isn't it? You know that something is there... but you can't get to it..." Nikita commented. She turned a flashlight and moved closer to Steward.

"This isn't a game, Steward... This plan would have worked with or without Patrick... Without Patrick... it caused a delay... and caused me pain I had no plans on going through..." Nikita stated and Steward nodded his head, although he did not agree with Nikita fully.

"Who are we after? What is the entire plan Nikita?" Steward inquired and Nikita shook her head back and forth as she place the beam of the light right into Steward's eyes.

"Why complicate the plan by telling you it all? What if something got out? I can only assure the completion of this plan with all the knowledge and pieces staying in my head..." Nikita declared and Steward sighed. He didn't like that answer at all.

"How do we know that it is a good plan?" Steward continued to push for further information. Nikita grabbed his neck and pinched.

"Trust me," Nikita hissed.

"That doesn't go far," Steward replied back and Nikita dropped her hand.

"It goes further than nothing at all," Nikita replied back as she stepped back. She was now silent, but allowed the flashlight to stay on.

"You know, Nikita... I used to think that with everything that I heard about Section One... that Michael was the scariest person there... The man that could make one hundred recruits drop and give him a thousand sits ups with one stare.... but I was wrong..." Steward stated and Nikita's face dropped. She knew exactly where Steward was going with this and she didn't like it one bit.

"Tread lightly," Nikita warned out, but Steward shook his head. He wasn't going to be scared by Nikita's theatrics right now.

"You are the scariest thing... because you are nothing like you should be..." Stewards stated. Nikita turned her body and shined the light on the door knob.

"I suggest you leave, Steward," Nikita stated as she didn't look back to him. Her words had a sting to them and Steward knew he better start moving.

"Oh... and I know of the mission that is planned in three days... I want the details on my desk in an hour... And all floor plans of the building..." Nikita stated as Steward reached the door. He looked back and dropped his head.

There was nothing but darkness.

*

"Birkoff?" Michael called out as he entered the building. He looked back and motioned three of his operatives in, although something pin pricked the back of his neck. Michael wasn't sure what, but he was going to ask now before he got too deep into the building.

"Michael? Aren't you supposed to be silent?" Birkoff snapped back, chomping on some sort of food.

"Something is wrong here," Michael stated as he looked into the building. His operatives had stopped, waiting for Michael's signal to continue or to go back. They didn't know of his worries, not like Nikita used to be.

Michael swore at himself. He knew that someday, on one of his missions, he wouldn't miss Nikita's presence. It hadn't happened yet, but now, with worries on his mind, was not the time to be thinking about how Nikita would be feeling the same thing he did at this moment.

"Was the building secure when we entered the location?" Michael questioned as he stood at the doorway. Michael monitored everything around him, seeing nothing, hearing nothing, but knowing that there was more.

"Michael, are you becoming paranoid on me? You were here when we set up surveillance... The building as it was when you left Section One," Birkoff replied shortly back. Michael looked into the darkness and took the few steps forward.

There was still running light, which made everything easier. The building had very few windows which made it naturally dark. Michael had been through thousands of buildings like this one during his years in Section One, but this one made him stop and think.

It had been a long time since he had a feeling like this one.

"Are you sure Birkoff?" Michael questioned as he reached the next mark and sent the operatives down the hallway. He looked to the side and scanned the shadows. He felt eyes on him, although all of his men were looking down the hallway.

"Team One... kill the lights," Nikita stated as she felt the cold wall against her back. Off to her right, about three steps, was were Michael stood moments ago. She had heard every crackle of the message he sent to Birkoff and heard everything that Birkoff sent back. It only confirmed to Nikita that everything on her end was working fine.

"We are at the panel now, Nikita..." the team leader spoke and Nikita nodded her head as she pulled the goggles down. She found the darkness ironic as she entered with the shadows, as did rest of her teams.

"Birkoff..." Michael sang out as the lights turned off suddenly. The entire mission profile depended upon the electricity, as they were to get into some computer files. The feeling that Michael had was growing, he could feel that he was soon to be surrounded.

"It's just a short, Michael.... Send your second flank to the left some.... he needs to change a fuse," Birkoff responded quickly, as if nothing was wrong. Michael knew that Birkoff's words were heard and Michael swallowed. He waited and listened to the footsteps as that operative ran off to do as ordered.

"Are you sure, Birkoff?" Michael questioned again as he heard nothing. He didn't hear the fuse box open and he didn't heard the noise of the operative moving.

"How many missions have I run for you, Michael?" Birkoff questioned. Had Michael not been so worried about what was not happening on this mission, he may have smiled at Birkoff's pompous response. Instead, it did nothing to make Michael feel any better.

"Too many," Michael snapped back and he heard Birkoff cackle on the other end.

"Everything is fine, Michael... You worry too much," Birkoff replied as he continued to laugh. Michael knew that Birkoff was revealing in Michael's sudden insecurities. Michael was sure that the wild rumors would be sprung all over Section One quickly about Michael being afraid of his ghost.

He was just worried that this feeling had something to do with Nikita.

"Team Two.... go around the corner... step away from the walls... The operatives are held up against them..." Nikita whispered as she walked down the middle of the hallway. She heard Michael's and Birkoff's futile attempts at establishing electricity. Birkoff would try about seven ways before calling for an abort.

It gave Nikita more than enough time.

"Birkoff... have the operatives check the perimeter again..." Michael spoke out as he touched his hand to the wall. He felt a warm breeze still, as if the door that he closed was still open. But there was no light in the hallway and it didn't make sense.

"Michael... that is not going to happen right now..." Birkoff replied back and Michael shook his head. He didn't like it at all. He would definitely strangle Birkoff.

"Team Two... are you in position?" Nikita questioned. She closed her eyes as she heard the slight noise of wind chimes.

It was simply brilliant.

"Birkoff? Did you register that?" Michael questioned and Nikita stood right there, right behind him. He didn't know how much further his operatives had moved away from him. He didn't know how many false orders they had received from a voice that was Michael's. Birkoff didn't even know.

In fact, only the operatives would know. And Section Eight.

"Wind chimes? Michael, are your operatives playing games?" Birkoff questioned and Nikita stifled her laugh. She loved this too much. This was too easy.

"They don't play games," Michael hissed back as he stopped and turned around. He was facing Nikita. She could see his facial expressions perfectly. She held her breath, knowing that she wasn't ready to make his world even darker. She didn't even have the hood out enough for her to continue with the plan.

"Well, Michael... In fact.... your operatives have played a lot of tricks of late... But Madeline and Operations haven't caught on..." Birkoff replied and Nikita smiled as she opened the hood slowly and held the syringe and stun gun in her other hand. She couldn't test the gun, but she had used it often. It would just help stun Michael enough.

"It's because Nikita has their attention at Section Eight..." Michael replied back and Nikita stopped her movements. She heard her operatives working, but she wanted to hear this.

"They haven't been doing much of anything of late.... They had been busy," Birkoff replied and Nikita grinned. She knew that Section Eight had all of Section One wondering what was next.

It was brilliant.

"We will have to get better contact with them..." Michael replied.

"Maybe they are playing with your mind, Michael.... Wouldn't that be like Nikita?" Birkoff questioned with another laugh following behind his words. Annoyance didn't even cover the feelings that Michael had for Birkoff at this point.

"She would do a good job of it, Birkoff.... Haven't you read any of the test profiles that I have sent to you... you should see her scores since she went there..." Michael defended her and he stopped. He couldn't believe that he was on a mission, worried that something was wrong, and still defending Nikita, as she was self-declared, in control of Section Eight.

"Yeah... yeah... Michael... But you never know with Nikita... Maybe she wants to get you back for one more night of hot and passionate..."

"Don't even finish that statement, Seymour," Michael ordered in a deep voice and Nikita saw her operatives in the night-vision goggles. Nikita smiled and nodded her head.

In one movement, Nikita threw the hold over Michael and brought the stun gun to his neck.

The only noise that Michael made was "What?" but that noise was never heard by Birkoff. Michael's communications had been cut when Nikita nodded her head. She grabbed Michael's upper body as the operatives moved towards her. She looked at Michael and pressed the syringe into his vein.

Good night, Michael.

~~

Michael lifted his head and felt trapped. He was still in the darkness, but now he felt the cold metal cuffs that surrounded his hands and legs. He tried to shake his head has he felt that there was another piece of metal hold around neck.

"Have a good sleep?" Nikita questioned from somewhere in the darkness. Michael opened his eyes and tried to focus on where the voice was. It was so difficult in the dark, especially when not knowing the surroundings.

"Nikita?" Michael called out and Nikita laughed softly.

"You didn't answer my question, Michael.... Why do you always do that?" Nikita questioned, but sounding like she was behind him now. Michael swallowed and told himself not to panic. This was a different kind of room and he didn't like it one bit, but he knew that Nikita was up to something.

"I always need to know information, Nikita... Is this part of your plan?" Michael questioned back and Nikita laughed this time loudly. Michael cleared his throat and took a deep breath. He could smell the new paint. He knew that he wasn't still in the building, but more than likely, back inside of Section Eight.

"If I told you this was part of my plan, would you believe me?" Nikita questioned back. The light now illuminated Nikita's face. She was not too far off, but not close enough. Michael looked at her, as she looked stunning. Her makeup was perfect and her eyes were crystal blue.

She was in control.

"I don't know what your plan is, Nikita. I would have to believe you..." Michael replied and Nikita nodded her head as she stepped closer. She cocked her head off to the side and touched her hand to her hair.

"I can tell you the plan, but you just haven't though enough about what this is all about," Nikita replied and the lights went off. She had no switch in her hands and Michael knew that he was just playing into her hands. She knew exactly what he was going to say and he didn't know how to combat that.

"Why would I try to figure out your plan, Nikita? Of course this all appears to be about me..." Michael stated and he felt the shock through his system. He opened his eyes wide as he trembled under the stunning electrical bolt. Nikita suddenly appeared close to him.

"Don't flatter yourself, Michael.... Maybe you should think about who this is about," Nikita stated as she started to retreat from the room.

Michael looked from one side of the room to the other as Nikita opened up the door, but she had hung curtains there to. No light came into the room.

He was left in the dark.

Figuratively and literally.

*

"I heard you wanted to talk..." Nikita spoke as she entered the room, the light shining off of her hair. She hadn't changed in appearance and Michael sighed. That was probably the worse. He didn't have any concept of the time or day it was. He didn't know exactly what Section One thought had he had to know those things.

Plus, he figured it out.

And it pained Michael not to have noticed it sooner.

"Yes.... this is about Madeline and Operations..." Michael stated, hoping that the sooner that he got the ball rolling, the sooner he may find his real Nikita in the Nikita that had built this black room.

"It's a lot more than that, Michael," Nikita spoke and Michael swallowed. He hoped his next words were correct. He couldn't image what would happen if his words were wrong.

"Revenge for the memory they took?" Michael whispered and the lights turned on, showing the black walls and Nikita sitting on a padded tall chair. She was looking down at Michael and she silently closed her eyes. Michael almost smiled as he saw the monster slippers on her feet.

"I thought that those were supposed to roar with each step you took?" Michael questioned and Nikita allowed a smile to grace her face, although she was deeply in thought. Nikita looked up at the ceiling and the restraints on Michael's neck and arms released, but not his legs.

"I had to modify them," Nikita spoke out as Michael looked to his feet. He understood it all now.

He wished he would have picked up on this sooner.

"This isn't going to work, Nikita..." Michael stated and Nikita shook her head back and forth in disagreement. She knew of all the plans and she knew of every angle that she had taken so far. It was working perfectly.

"You underestimated me, Michael... Right?" Nikita inquired. Michael instantly nodded his head. The fact that he was sitting in this strange black room, looking at Nikita, while still restrained, told Michael of his dire underestimates that he had done with Nikita.

"What do you think Madeline and Operations still think of me?" Nikita questioned. Michael dropped his head. She did have Madeline and Operations on that point. They hadn't seen this Nikita. Even though there were the test results and reports, they couldn't believe it as they hadn't seen it.

And it happened inside of Section Eight.

"To Section One... as of right now.... You are on mandatory refusal... Birkoff had this transmission of a terrorist group getting into your signal... Of course... your operatives believe that you led them to the third floor of the building..." Nikita started to explain and Michael opened his mouth. He knew that it was possible to do such things, but he was sure that Section Eight couldn't have done them.

But they did.

Michael didn't have to question how any longer. What mattered was that Nikita had pulled off one the greatest disappearing acts in the world. In fact, she aced it.

"Why do you need me? Why do you wait until now when I was here before?" Michael questioned and Nikita stepped off of the chair and reached out to touch Michael's face.

"They would have expected it.... You wouldn't have trusted my skills and my plan..." Nikita stated and Michael dropped his head. He hated when Nikita was so right about his feelings.

"Don't hate me for that, Nikita!" Michael exclaimed and Nikita shook her head back and forth. She looked up to the ceiling and watched as Michael's legs were now freed.

"I don't hate you for that, Michael.... I knew it..." Nikita stated as she stepped back. She was going to allow Michael to walk right out at this moment.

"You shouldn't have... I should always trust you..." Michael stated and Nikita shook her head back and forth. She didn't have the time to disgust all of this with Michael, the reason why her head shook back and forth.

"Michael... you have several choices to make here.... All of them, I am ready to respond too. You can go back to Section One and tell them everything. I don't like that, but you have the right to do that..." Nikita stated. Michael stood up but did not move. She knew that he wanted to hear more of what was going on.

"You can stay, listen to the plans, and leave and tell Section One everything. That wouldn't help me, but I am ready for that too happen," Nikita stated and Michael stared at Nikita.

God help him, he had the urge to kiss her.

"You can stay, listen to the plans, and go back to Section One an act like nothing happened and don't help me at all," Nikita stated. Again she waited for Michael's response, but he only licked his lips.

God help her, she had the urge to kiss him.

"Or you can stay here for a while... I tell you all the details of the plan... you go back to Section One and do anything of the first ones I outlined... or you help me," Nikita stated and Michael looked behind him and cracked his neck to the side. He was stiff from the chair.

He wanted a shower.

He wanted to shower with Nikita.

"What is the ultimate outcome of this plan?" Michael questioned and Nikita smiled. Michael knew that he didn't need Nikita to spell it out for him.

"No one should suffer like I did... like you did.... I would love to put Madeline and Operations into the black room for months, years... to feel how it felt to me everyday that I woke up in a life that I didn't know about... but that is too good for them," Nikita assessed in a determined voice. Michael stared into her eyes and he dropped his head.

"Are you willing to kill them?" Michael questioned and Nikita nodded her head.

"It would make you a cold blooded killer..." Michael stated and Nikita shook her head back and forth.

"I would be saving Section One, Michael.... Look at Section Eight... We do the job... and most of the operatives have a life... A LIFE, Michael.... Think of that impact..." Nikita stated and Michael hunched forward and folded his arms across his chest. He didn't like the sound of Nikita's argument at first. She leaned back on her own heals, knowing that Michael was ready to poke holes into her theories.

"Ever know why Birkoff is inside of Section One?" Nikita questioned and Michael raised an eyebrow.

"He hacked the computers," Michael responded and Nikita sadly shook her head back and forth. That was what everyone thought had happened. Birkoff would never speak the truth of what happened and the files were deeply coded.

"He was sold by his parents, Michael... Don't you think that he deserves a chance of meeting a nice girl... and having a family?" Nikita questioned and Michael looked at Nikita and swallowed. He didn't know that about Birkoff, and knew that Birkoff would benefit from an external life.

"And Walter? Do you think it is right that he had to bargain with Madeline to come see me?" Nikita pointed out and Michael shook his head back and forth.

"So what do you need most of all?" Michael questioned and Nikita licked her lips. She knew this was going to be the hardest part of it all.

"I need to get inside of Section One... along with about ten operatives... without being detected..." Nikita outlined quite bluntly. Nikita didn't care how it happened, as long as it did.

"NO!" Michael responded instantly and Nikita didn't even blink her eyes. She just nodded her head up and down. He looked off to the side and shook his head.

"You are asking the impossible," Michael stated and Nikita stepped forward. She touched Michael's face and swallowed.

"It's not impossible, Michael... What may be impossible is patching up whatever we may have had..." Nikita stated as she dropped her hand. She looked to it and then back up at Michael.

"I need you to stay about a week... with no contact to Section One or George.... Can you do that?" Nikita questioned as she was moving further away from Michael. Her words stung his heart.

He didn't think it was impossible to mend them. In fact, he always counted upon it.

Michael dropped his head as Nikita slipped out of the room. It may have been her way of saying that getting back to Section One wasn't as hard as he thought it was. Michael looked around the room, seeing the black walls.

This was what Nikita's life had been like when she didn't have a memory. There was nothing there. And when it was dark, the room was endless. It had no beginning and no end. Michael shuddered with that thought.

He could always remember things from the beginning and he could always remember the most recent things. Whenever in trouble, he would think back to his training with Jurgen, how the important things weren't always the things that happened during the training, but when the training was occurring with simple interaction. All of that was gone for Nikita and she had no reference point in the past and nothing in the future.

Michael sighed as he sat down on the chair that Nikita had been on. He could smell her and he wanted to be by her this night.

It wasn't too be.

Michael leaned his head back, knowing that he could just leave the room. But this was a room that Nikita spoke the most in. She spoke simply of what her life had been when she had no memory. Michael had been thrilled when Madeline and Operations decided to undo the adjusting, as his scores and Nikita's were both suffering. Michael just wanted to forget that it happened, while for Nikita, although she had her memory back... she had to live with the memory that she had lost her love for Michael for that period of time.

However, Michael was sure that this plan of Nikita's went further back than that. It showed ambition and skill. It showed that from the very beginning of her training, she was taking in more information than she ever allowed anyone to know. It meant that during all the time Michael spent on training Nikita on proper English and math skills, that she may have known them and just played it off as not knowing. During that time, Michael allowed anything to flash across his screen, thinking that Nikita didn't know what it meant.

But she did know what it meant.

He was angry at Nikita for playing him like that.

It made him love her even more.

Michael dropped his head down into his hands and sighed.

Nothing ever got easier with Nikita. Nothing.

*

Michael walked down the hallway, details of Nikita's plan nervously showing on his bent brow. He thought about them over and over again, and did not see how it was going to work. For the past two days, he looked at everything that Nikita sent him on the computer, sure that there was more to this plan.

It was all too simple.

It was all too skilled.

Michael continued to walk, as he still didn't know what was going to happen once Nikita and some operatives got inside of Section One. One thing was for sure, Michael wasn't going to allow Nikita to bring down Section One. For what Michael cared about, she could do anything to Madeline and Operations, god knows they deserved it, but the rest of Section One better come out fine.

Michael turned the corner and looked to the door that was in front of him. Nikita was in the room and it was secure. Michael tried for a long hour to break the computer codes, but kept getting nowhere. Michael knew that it would be futile to try to open the door.

He was surprised as the door opened, Nikita exited quickly, and the door closed abruptly, not allowing Michael to see anything at all. He stepped forward, and was going to ask Nikita what she was doing in there, when Michael took a good look at Nikita.

She was sweating and now she was leaning against the wall. She was shuttering with pain and her eyes were barely open. It appeared as if her work out had been hard and difficult.

"Are you ok?" Michael questioned and Nikita tried to lift her head. Michael moved forward and pushed Nikita's body back against the wall, seeing the weakness that she was having. Nikita now leaned her head back and swallowed lightly.

But no words come out of her mouth. She was trying to focus her eyes, knowing that it was Michael who was speaking to her. All the other times she had appeared strong in front of him. She didn't want to throw his confidence in her out the window because he caught her at a bad time. Nikita struggled and Michael took a long breath, trying to calm his immediate panicked feelings.

"Are you ok?" Michael repeated the question, but this time, the words were slower and more spaced out. He really didn't need an answer, but if no answer was given, his options would be more severe. The last thing that Nikita needed now was for Section Eight to realize that something was up. It was the last thing that Nikita would allow to happen. She mustered her strength up and swallowed once again.

"Just worked out too hard..." Nikita stated out in hard words. Michael brushed Nikita's hair back and knew that this wasn't just a hard workout. Nikita had been playing with laser simulations. It appeared as if she had taken several severe hits with the laser.

"A hard workout? A hard workout leaves you winded, Nikita.... This is more," Michael declared with a condensing voice that echoed in the hallways. Nikita looked at him with her eyes and blinked them. She looked so much like an injured child at the moment. But she was more and he could see that just behind the color of Nikita's eyes.

There was so much more going on.

"Why don't I take you to the room down the hallway?" Michael questioned as he looked down the hallway. It was clear, there was no reason why Nikita would reject Michael's idea. She closed her eyes and stood up, although very shaky. Nikita started to move, without needing Michael's hands on assistance, but he stayed close enough.

"It wasn't too hard, Michael... I do this everyday," Nikita stated as she reached out for the handle to the door. Michael reached around her body and pushed the door open. Nikita entered and sighed lightly as the coolness of the room caressed her hot and sweaty body.

"Everyday? Why?" Michael questioned as he watched Nikita sit down on the bed that was there. She looked up at him and Michael turned his head. He knew the answer. "It's for the plan."

"Yes, Michael..... and I can't take the chance of revealing it..." Nikita stated in a warning voice. Michael looked to the side and finally sat down on the bed next to Nikita. She in turn, leaned forward pressing her hands into her head. It was clear that from whatever Nikita was doing, that it was doing damage to her body. The weight that she had gained while in Section Eight under Patrick was long gone and now she was working on losing more weight.

This wasn't healthy.

"Are we ever going to talk about us?" Michael finally questioned and Nikita picked her head up and looked at Michael. At first she couldn't speak, and Michael reached out and touched Nikita's chin.

"We talk about us all the time," Nikita stated and Michael shook his head back and forth. He looked to the door to make sure that the room was secure. Michael was positive that Nikita stopped in this room after every workout and that she had taken the same precautions she had in other areas of Section Eight.

"We talk about the plan... or Section One... or Section Eight... I just want to know what is really going on here..." Michael urged Nikita as he continued to hold her chin. He wouldn't let Nikita turn her head away until she relented.

"What do you want to know, Michael? What haven't I told you yet? Why are you suddenly in this need to know everything and to talk?" Nikita snapped as she rubbed her own temples, feeling a pounding headache exploding across her face and forehead.

"I thought that this is what you wanted, Nikita... To talk... I'm trying..." Michael remarked in a small voice that made Nikita's hands drop away from her temples. She stared at Michael for a long time and closed her eyes as the tears threatened to fall.

"I'm sorry... I haven't been exactly the best person to be around..." Nikita stated and Michael reached for Nikita's hands. He needed to touch. He really wanted to kiss her, but for now, the touch of his hands to Nikita's was enough.

"Nikita, you have been doing a lot... and I don't know where to start..." Michael stated and Nikita looked at his jade eyes. She knew exactly where Michael wanted to start and to think of the subject brought a tightness across her chest. However, Nikita knew that it would never leave if she never addressed the issue with Michael.

"Patrick..." Nikita whispered and Michael tried to shake his head no. He never made it.

"He was going to give me something that no one offered to give me, Michael..." Nikita whispered and she closed her eyes. She dropped her head to hide the tears. Michael tried unsuccessfully to pick her head up and to make everyone look at them, but he was not quick enough.

"I tried to offer you what I could, Nikita..." Michael stated and Nikita rubbed at her arms, as Michael tried to hold onto her hands.

"It all goes back to what I haven't had.... With everyone... My issue with Madeline and Operations... They took my memory away..." Nikita started and Michael placed two fingers over her lips.

"I know all of that, Nikita.... I was in the room for your demonstration..." Michael commented and Nikita pulled her head back as she shook it.

"It wasn't just that... They had the power over me... I can't let them have it...." Nikita stated and Michael allowed a loud sigh out. He actually understood exactly what Nikita was saying and all the reasons behind it.

"I've been overlooked so much in my life, Michael... Madeline and Operations and even you... overlooked all the talents that I am using now..." Nikita stated and Michael half-smiled.

"Well, you did a good job hiding it, Nikita..." Michael stated and Nikita shook her head in protest.

"Everyone overlooked it..... And when I was with Patrick... at times I felt that I was being overlooked as a person, as he made me feel like he wanted me to feel..." Nikita stated and Michael nodded his head. He hated that he had caused Nikita to question everything that she ever felt with Patrick. He never would have done this if Patrick was still alive.

"And I was overlooked as a child..." Nikita stated and Michael dropped his head. He couldn't image being overlooked as a child. Nikita's face was determined, she was starting to talk and now she was going to let it out. It was a combination of the Nikita that was inside of Section One and the Nikita that had emerged inside of Section Eight.

"I can't undo what my mother did and those men did... and I can't go back now and get them back.... But I can't allow Madeline and Operations to get away with it too... I couldn't live that way... I have already lived that way... and it is unacceptable..." Nikita declared and Michael reached in from Nikita's rocking body and kissed her head. Nikita sighed and swallowed.

"I love you, Nikita.... You know that, right?" Michael whispered and Nikita stop everything. She stared at him for several long moments and finally sent back to rocking, Right now, it was too difficult for Nikita to process what Michael was saying.

"You know... I don't think I really knew what love was, Michael..." Nikita declared when she spoke again. Michael opened his mouth, but Nikita pressed her hand to him to silence him.

"It's amazing how one can grow in a few months.... but... I saw what you had with Adam... and I never had anything that could have matched that feeling..." Nikita stated and Michael's face dropped.

"But, Nikita... I love you," Michael replied back and Nikita blinked her eyes and allowed the tears to finally drop. She sighed and leaned her head back.

"I am not saying that you didn't love me, Michael... I'm just wondering if I wasn't ready to see what this love thing was all about..." Nikita stated as she tilted her head to the side to look into Michael's eyes. He was blinking back his own tears. Nikita waited as she reached out and took Michael's hand. He squeezed Nikita's hand back.

"What about you now?" Michael finally voiced. He was afraid to ask the question, afraid of what he would do if Nikita responded by saying that she wasn't ready.

"Michael... when Walter was here... he said the nicest thing that I ever heard... and I hope to god it is true..." Nikita whispered and Michael's face softened. He knew what Walter had told Nikita, as it was something that Walter had told Michael almost as soon as Nikita entered Section One.

In fact, if Michael remembered correctly, Walter's exact words were, "If you hurt that girl, Michael... I'll come down on you and your level five so hard you won't know where to pee from.... That girl is like a daughter I never had... and you don't mess with my family..."

"He said I was the daughter he never had... and he never had to love me..." Nikita stated out and Michael nodded his head, seeing that Nikita was also saying that she was ready for Michael's love once again.

"I became a part of a family that day, Michael.... and maybe today... I can love you more than I did then..." Nikita stated and Michael nodded his head. He wanted to protest what Nikita was saying, knowing that her love was stronger than his at most times, and he hated that Madeline and Operations had allowed her to think that her love wasn't strong enough in the past.

Now Michael understood and believed in Nikita's plan.

"It's going to be a rough couple weeks," Nikita stated and Michael lifted his fingers and pressed them to Nikita's lips.

"No talk of that... not now..." Michael replied and Nikita turned her head to the side. If Michael didn't want to talk about that, Nikita was afraid of what he did want to talk about.

"Michael... we have to talk about it sooner or later... You know that I have to look like I am fighting with you..." Nikita stated and Michael lifted his fingers to Nikita's lips yet again. It silenced her words, but her eyes continued to fight with him.

"Sometimes Nikita, you are too strong," Michael stated and Nikita looked puzzled. She stared at Michael's face as he played his fingers up and down her mouth, tracing the outline of the area he was aching to kiss.

He waited.

"Too strong? I thought I wasn't strong enough?" Nikita replied back, with disbelief in her voice. Michael smiled in response. This was a Nikita he could always be with, with no problems. She was a better Nikita.

She was a whole Nikita.

"You are stronger than I ever knew.... I underestimated you," Michael choked out, knowing how much they had talked about Michael doing this activity.

He was guilty as charged and now was willing to stand trial for those thoughts and misgivings.

"I knew that you were strong to get through your childhood Nikita... but I always stopped thinking about it there... and now... you are the strongest person I know..." Michael declared and Nikita opened her mouth to protest. She wasn't stopped by Michael's fingers or hand, she was stopped by her own inability to speak.

Hearing these words were almost as special as the words I love you from Michael's mouth.

Nikita now felt the love, in a different way from Michael, as if he really and truly understood her.

Like he could trust her judgment and respect her decisions about what was too come.

"I want to spend every night I can... being you and me... Where we may be," Michael spoke out as he saw Nikita's mouth hanging open. He leaned forward and pressed his lips into Nikita's. He felt wetness on his cheeks, but he couldn't be sure if they were from Nikita or from Michael.

Before they were the perfect operative team.

Now they were unstoppable.

"I love you, Nikita... my Kita..." Michael murmured into Nikita's ear as Nikita moved closer to him, touching her hands across his chest.

The pain that she was in before was gone. Vanished from the touch and words of Michael. That marked feeling of sadness that had lingered inside of Nikita for such a long time, longer than she could remember, had finally lifted.

She had finally allowed someone in. She allowed someone in right next to her heart and soul.

For her, it was a new beginning.

For Michael, it was a new life.

*

Steward was always one that could tell when the moods of people were changing. He always enjoyed watching a good fight, but what he felt in the past few days, was not something he wanted to watch. Although he was perched on his chair, looking in both directions, wondering which way the trouble would come from.

This dramatic switch of moods happened slowly, but about four hours ago, Michael snapped down the computer and stormed away, and had been prowling the hallways of Section Eight for hours now. It did not take several guesses to know who Michael was looking for.

Nikita.

Steward in the past few days, started to see things in a different way. It was pushed with his hatred for Nikita, growing each moment. Although Michael was from Section One, he was still another. He didn't control Section Eight, Nikita did. Steward's mind thought of all the reasons why Nikita held onto the power of Section Eight and how she played with Michael.

His hatred for Nikita was growing and no one knew it.

A door slammed from down the hallway and Steward looked in that direction. Instinctively, he dropped down from the upright position he had and stared at the computer, although it had none of his attention. He saw Nikita swiftly moving down the hallway, with not an angry face, but one of indifference, of stone.

It wasn't the Nikita that Patrick had revealed to all of Section Eight. This Nikita was like the Nikita that first entered Section Eight. Although on every spare moment she was with Michael, she would proclaim that Section Eight was different, she was acting as if it was Section One, and that her damn plan meant the existence of all people.

Following behind Nikita was Michael, which did not surprise Steward at all. He knew that Michael had been waiting to corner Nikita for hours now and it was seen that he had found Nikita. His face, although usually not expressive, was showing a stern anger on his face.

This was going to be interesting.

"Stop!" Michael bellowed and Nikita turned around, but her legs continued to back peddle. She was not going to listen to his commands and Steward ducked his head.

He knew when things were going to get ugly.

"You are not my trainer! You are not even my superior!" Nikita spouted back in a harsh voice that echoed down the hallway.

"Fine, I'm not... but you have become all that you said you wouldn't! You are Madeline and Operations combined Nikita. You are planning something that none of these operatives want to be involved with!" Michael stated out in a loud voice that echoed in the hallways as Nikita's just did.

"I don't have to answer to you, Michael... I don't have to answer to them," Nikita stated back, but not with a loudness. She stared at Michael as she finally stopped her body. She wasn't going to back peddle any longer and the determination on her face was etched firmly.

She took a step forward.

"I was asking for your help and support... one thing that Madeline and Operations would never do, Michael," Nikita stated out the facts as if they were harsh swear words. Michael stared at her as he lifted his chin in defiance.

"You are prostituting yourself for a cause you aren't even sure of, Nikita!" Michael shouted and Nikita stopped her movement. The words were like a slap across her face.

"Did you just sleep with me for fun?" Michael shouted and Nikita's lips pressed against each other tightly. She didn't open her mouth to protest, she just stood there.

"Or did you just sleep with Patrick in order to get in this position you are in now?" Michael shouted out and Nikita felt her blood turn cold.

"Don't you dare speak of Patrick," Nikita stated out coldly, but not loudly. It was barely heard, but just between Michael and Nikita, and Steward who hid behind the computer screen.

"You haven't answered any of my questions, Nikita? And what about this so-called plan? Who does it benefit?" Michael challenged and Nikita lifted her head.

"Everyone," Nikita stated with a condensing tone. Steward wanted to whistle, knowing that Nikita was just asking for trouble at the moment.

"What if I like the way Madeline and Operations are handling the situation?" Michael challenged Nikita quickly and Steward looked out from the side of his computer. Nikita was trembling. Michael wasn't.

Nikita may have control of Section Eight, but Michael didn't have at the moment.

"You don't mean that, Michael... You know what they did to me," Nikita stated and Steward looked to the wall. This wasn't all the way understood to those inside of Section Eight. It was something that was vague in Nikita's profile and something that Nikita had never directly spoken of.

"Maybe they were right in doing that, Nikita.... Maybe you shouldn't love me.... Maybe they were just trying to spare you the pain!" Michael shouted and Nikita stepped back and shook her head. There was no expression on her face yet, but from her slumped shoulders, it was easily seen that Michael's words had hurt Nikita a great deal.

"How can you talk like that, Michael? We spend what time we can, as Michael and Nikita... Are you saying that it isn't true?" Nikita questioned with a voice that quavered.

Then there was silence.

Steward swallowed as he needed to sneeze, but he was afraid of what would happen at this point if he was found. Nikita sounded emotional, but Steward had always seen Nikita flip emotions quickly. He did not want Nikita's anger at Michael displaced onto him.

Plus, Michael was lethal himself.

"No answer?" Nikita questioned with the anger creeping into her voice. Michael tilted his head to the side and looked at Nikita.

"You aren't a woman I know, Nikita," Michael stated and Steward dropped his head. He saw blood really soon.

"Then who am I?" Nikita questioned and Michael looked to the side and leaned forward. His eyes flickered the swear words that he ached to spout off at Nikita and to slur at her.

"You are a Section harlot.." Michael stated and Nikita narrowed her eyes.

"Other words... a Section whore?" Nikita replied with coldness in her voice. She waited, her eyes flickering with flames of fire and hatred.

"If you prefer that word, Nikita.... yes... A Section whore.... giving her body... her soul... for some damned cause that only you know..." Michael stated and Nikita stepped forward.

"I am wrong to go after the people who took my memory because they were right in taking my memory?" Nikita questioned. She waited.

There was silence.

"I am wrong to go after Madeline and Operations because you feel they had the right to take away my memory of loving you... because I shouldn't have loved you?" Nikita demanded loudly. Michael nodded his head. Nikita immediately swung around in a circle, stopping herself from plummeting Michael immediately.

"And you call me the whore? Look at yourself, Michael!" Nikita shouted and Michael shook his head back and forth.

"I'm not playing games, Nikita. I never played games with you. You kidnapped me!" Michael yelled and Nikita nodded her head and looked to her hands.

"I see that was a mistake... but you enjoyed your one night, right?" Nikita questioned with a loathsome tone to her words. It made Michael cringe, but he did not back down.

"It was an act, Nikita," Michael replied, cold as ice. Steward closed his eyes.

He hoped that neither had a gun.

"So we meant nothing?" Nikita questioned in a bare whisper. Steward almost felt sorry for Nikita. He wasn't like the other operatives that had heard the entire fight. He wasn't crying for Nikita at this moment. All the others were and many more would cry when they hear about the fight later.

"Nothing," Michael replied back.

"Leave.... and go back to your precious Section One, Michael," Nikita stated and Michael nodded his head.

"But I will tell of your plan," Michael replied and Nikita shook her head.

"My plan and my operatives are better than you," Nikita stated and Michael dropped his head as he nodded it. Nikita looked off to the side.

"Just leave, Michael... Now," Nikita ordered and Michael turned around. Steward looked around, Katherine was standing in the hallway as he stood up from the computer. He looked to Nikita and then Katherine.

Steward was never one to hurt a woman while she was down, but Nikita had to know.

"You know, Nikita... the operatives don't support you," Steward stated. He looked as Nikita turned around to stare at him. Her face was pale and she looked like she was going to fall asleep.

"I don't care about your opinion, Steward," Nikita remarked and Steward shrugged his shoulders and looked around.

"They are going to hear about this fight, Nikita... I would be scared about how many side with Michael," Steward stated and Nikita moved to the side slowly.

"I think you should think about what you are saying Steward... I do everything here for Section Eight and myself... we can't get funds from a Section One that is out to get me.... Think about that and compute that!" Nikita hissed back.

Katherine stepped up to touch Nikita. She shook her head back and forth. Katherine dropped her hands as she looked at Nikita. She was concerned about the young woman and was going to call Walter the second she was able too. Nikita didn't deserved to be attacked like that, by the man she believed had loved her. Katherine couldn't image how Nikita felt right now.

"I'm going to go get coffee... and some fresh air..." Nikita stated as she turned and hurried down the hallway, heading out of Section Eight. Steward shook his head as he watched Nikita leave.

"Not much of a leader..." Steward commented and Katherine knocked him aside the head.

"You better watch that chip on your shoulder, boy... You never know what she has going... She is smarter than Patrick... and that is the problem with you!" Katherine declared. She turned as Katherine decided that it was best to call Walter with her own resources.

*

Nikita looked down the street, seeing the little cafe that was about twenty minutes away from Section Eight. She took a deep breath and cleansed the evil feelings from her heart out into the fresh air. Every muscle ached, but that wasn't a concern right now.

"Do you want me to order you something?" Michael's voice drifted up from the corner table of the outside cafe. Nikita looked down the street and moved over to the table. The sun was out, but they were in the shadows.

"I don't feel like anything," Nikita stated and Michael tilted his head as he looked at Nikita. She looked very subdued and Michael swallowed. Something was wrong.

"Nikita... it was an act..." Michael stated as he reached out for her hand, but she pulled her hands away, and underneath the table. Michael's eyes flickered with worry, wondering if he had gone too far without knowing it. Once Nikita responded back in the argument, the words just continued, knowing that it had to look good.

"You are ok, right, Nikita?" Michael questioned and Nikita lifted her head and shrugged her shoulders. She tried to pull away as Michael tried to grab her shoulders, but he did get a hold of them. He squeezed and waited for Nikita to lift her head.

"You did nothing wrong, Michael... We did what we had to do.." Nikita stated out, but her eyes didn't tell Michael that she was speaking what she was feeling. Michael held onto those shoulders and waited. He knew that Nikita would attempt to speak again.

"Michael... It wasn't anything you said..." Nikita stated and Michael nodded his head. Slowly, he allowed the grip on Nikita's shoulders loosen, but he kept touching her. He looked to the table and sighed.

"Do you want something to drink and we can talk about it? My flight isn't for another two hours, Nikita," Michael stated and Nikita shook her head back and forth as she leaned back in her chair. She glanced at her wrist, which held an elaborate computer system, in which, Nikita could tell where her operatives were. She was using it to make sure that no one saw her with Michael.

Nikita knew that they had to be back inside of Section Eight, scrambling to get the tapes that were made of the fight.

"Steward took the opportunity after you left to comment," Nikita stated as she started to wring her hands together. Michael nodded his head. He wasn't happy with that happening, but he wasn't surprised with it either.

"What did he say, Nikita?" Michael questioned, hoping that whatever he did say would soon go away. She had a lot of plans going on, most of which Nikita didn't allow Michael in on. She didn't need Steward causing problems at the time.

"It doesn't matter Michael...I just know that he is going to be hard to get to work properly," Nikita stated and Michael reached over the table and grabbed Nikita's hands. He couldn't take that nervous movement any longer. In the short time he had been in contact with Nikita inside of Section Eight, he had gotten familiar with Nikita's confidence and strength. Now was not the time for Nikita to revert back to Section One ways of personal behavior.

"Take him out of the plan, then... Make it easy on yourself, Nikita," Michael issued out as if it was going to solve all of Nikita's problems.

The problem was with Nikita, was that although she knew that Michael's words were all done to make the operatives feel more for her, they echoed all the words that had ever been told to her. They were painful words and words that echoed in her nightmares and would continue to haunt those dreams. She would not get any rest from the fight, and she would fight the images of the anger that Michael clearly portrayed.

"I can't take him out, Michael... He has power inside of Section Eight, and to take him out... the operatives would worry that I am doing something I don't want them to know about," Nikita issued out. She had already thought of every possible response that Michael could give her. Michael could feel the brick wall that Nikita had placed up in-between her and himself, and felt that she was reinforcing it now.

She was waiting for a fight.

"Nikita... let me get you some tea to drink... you need to calm down..." Michael stated as he looked off to the side. Nikita wanted to protest, but the waitress was right there and Michael made the order. He turned his head and saw Nikita was frozen looking at him. He could see all the distress that was in her eyes.

"I don't need to calm down, Michael..." Nikita tried to protest and Michael shook his head back and forth.

"You are nervous..."

"I'M NOT NERVOUS!" Nikita shouted and then dropped her head. Michael studied her for a long time, the tension that was growing on her slender shoulders and the slumping in her chair. Michael pressed his lips together as he waited for the tea and his coffee to be placed on the table.

"You should be nervous... this is a big plan, Nikita..." Michael stated, normalizing the feelings that Nikita was having. He didn't want her to feel that they were wrong, because they weren't. Plus, if he didn't make a connection to Nikita in the next few minutes, all that had occurred in that fight would color their relationship forever.

It wasn't even a real fight. Michael didn't mean any of those words.

"Kita... I love you," Michael whispered as he looked at Nikita over the lip of his cup of coffee. He was worried that she would drop her head, but she smiled.

"I know, Michael... I just let something stew that shouldn't," Nikita responded and she continued to smile. It was a smile that could carry Michael all the way back to Section One without a worry. There were no walls there, there were no defensive mechanisms going on between Nikita and himself. She was virtually hiding and waiting to reappear, when she was sure that the coast was clear.

His smart, brilliant, and strong Nikita.

"I hold you right here..." Michael said as he pointed to his chest. He couldn't be sure if there were tears in Nikita's eyes, as the shadows hid the sparkling eyes, but Michael had touched her. He reached out and took her hands.

"I wish I could prove it to you again how important you are to me," Michael revealed with a soft voice. Nikita lightly chuckled and tilted her head to the side. She felt a hot blush color her cheeks and Nikita pried her hands away to cover her cheeks.

"I wish we had the time too... but the next time I'm with you... I want to do it slowly..." Nikita stated and Michael smiled and nodded his head.

It was an unspoken promise.

"I'm going to get through this, Michael... I might have some bad days where I will want to hate you... but I will know where I stand with you..." Nikita stated and Michael leaned forward.

"Are you sure, Nikita?" Michael questioned and Nikita silently nodded her head as she closed her eyes. She wasn't going to let the irrational words and feelings win, just like she wasn't going to let Madeline and Operations win.

"Remember what you told me, Michael... I'm strong... but you missed something else..." Nikita drifted off and Michael raised an eyebrow. She was baiting him and Michael it. He couldn't help himself either.

"What did I forget Nikita?"

"I'm determined and I'm stubborn... I'm going to make it through this... and be back in your arms..." Nikita stated and Michael smiled as he ran his fingers over the insides of Nikita's wrists. They sat there, staring at each others eyes, making more silent prayers than they wanted too, but knew that they had too.

The twilight was taking over the streets and Michael was going to miss his flight if he waited much longer. He dropped some bills on the table and pulled Nikita to her feet. They both left their drinks untouched.

"When will you come to Section One?" Michael questioned and Nikita shrugged her shoulders. Even if she did know, she couldn't allow Michael to know that information.

"Soon..." Nikita finally verbally stated and Michael sighed as he wrapped an arm around Nikita's shoulders.

"Will I know when you are coming?" Michael questioned and Nikita again, shrugged her slender shoulders and then down.

"You have to watch for the things that are different, Michael... And once you feel it... Be ready for what will happen," Nikita cryptically spoke, but Michael understood every single statement that Nikita had whispered.

They approached the corner and Michael hailed for a cab. Nikita stood there, almost shivering, and looking small. She didn't want Michael to leave, and they both knew it. Nikita wanted one more night to erase all the words that had been said in order to motivate Nikita's operatives.

"I love you, Michael..." Nikita whispered as the cab pulled up to the curb. Michael opened the door and turned to Nikita. He placed his hands on Nikita's face and angled it down so he could kiss her.

And then he did the most difficult thing, he left.

Michael sat in the cab, looking behind to the corner that Nikita stood at, staring at him. Longing to be one once again.

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