"I am?" Nikita questioned as her entire body seemed to relax. Michael was amazed but then chided himself. This was what Nikita wanted to do. It was the reason why Nikita came to Section One.

"Madeline saw your move today into the room as extremely brave and skilled. Although I do not agree with this change, Madeline has final say," Michael indicated as he looked to Nikita. He knew his words were harsh, but he couldn't stop from saying them. He looked at Nikita and saw her eyes start to fill with fear again.

"You don't believe that I can do this..." Nikita stated and Michael blinked his eyes. He might as well have nodded his head yes. Nikita stood up once again and Michael sighed in frustration. This day didn't seem to be ending soon. "I have the skills to do this, Michael! I have been training for this for six years. How dare you pass judgment on me off of what you know about me from six years ago!"

"And what I saw in that room when Andrea confronted you..." Michael pointed out as he stood up. Nikita turned around with hot tears rolling down her face.

"I didn't call for you to help me. You can't jump to the conclusion that I couldn't handle myself and you can't jump to the conclusion that because of that one incident that I can't handle working with the teenagers!" Nikita hissed out as her entire body trembled. Michael looked at her with his mouth open. He words were drying his soul. He didn't know what to say and he didn't know how to continue.

"You are still shaking.." Michael spoke as he looked to Nikita's body. Something deep down told Michael that Nikita just needed to be held, and it was what his body wanted to do.

But Michael's mind stopped him.

"You need to relax... and we need to talk..." Michael whispered as he carefully watched Nikita's eyes. She smirked.

Michael couldn't believe it. She smirked.

"I usually meditate for an hour every Saturday... it centers me... but my spot was disrupted..." Nikita admitted as she almost laughed with the irony of the subject. "My mentor actually fought with me... or maybe I fought with her..."

"Mentors shouldn't do that..." Michael stated and he looked at Nikita.

Unless mentors didn't know about Nikita's past and were still trying to figure it out.

"It wasn't about anything.... But I've felt off ever since..." Nikita stated and Michael nodded his head. He wanted to stay and talk about what happened. Now that Nikita was speaking to him and not running on her sentences. But he stopped.

"Maybe I can give you some time now... And then we can finish talking..." Michael offered as he looked at Nikita, again feeling the urge to touch her arm, but held back. It wouldn't do any good right now.

"I'd like that..." Nikita confirmed with a slight nod of her head. Michael didn't say anything else, although his mind was jumble with all sorts of things to say. It was best to just exit and to go down the hallway.

"You are here late..." Birkoff rumbled out as he looked up from his desk. Michael rolled his eyes and leaned down on the desk. Michael talked to Birkoff around this time every night it seemed. It was part of his duties.

"Do we have a report about Andrea?" Michael questioned as he folded his hands and glanced at the various piles of papers that sat in the circle desk that Birkoff held court in. Birkoff rolled his eyes and turned in his chair away from the computer and towards Michael.

"She was led out of here in a straight jacket. Do you really need a report?" Birkoff questioned and Michael nodded his head. He knew that Madeline would take care of the girl fairly well. She was going to meet Andrea at the hospital. In the lockdown unit.

"No..." Michael whispered as he looked down and saw the live video feeds. He looked at the one and saw that it was angled towards his office. "Birkoff? Can you give me an angle into my office?"

"Yeah... No problem. Why do you need that?" Birkoff questioned as his fingers started to move quickly. Michael looked as Nikita's body came in focus and he could see that Nikita was not successful in her attempts to calm down. "She doesn't look well..."

"Do we have a camera near the staff room?" Michael questioned. Birkoff shook his head.

"Madeline had them taken out about a year ago... some staff decided that they wanted to display their wears for all to see... especially me..."

"Is there anyway you can find out about what happened in there?" Michael questioned as his gray eyes looked back to the screen that showed Nikita. She had stopped moving, although he was sure that she was still crying.

"I think we still have some sound sensors in there... but they were covered with lockers last year... I would have to do a lot of filtering to come up with real words..." Birkoff pointed out as he looked up to Michael. He knew that Michael was going to need them. Michael didn't ask questions just to ask them. If he was asking them, he meant for something to be done.

"And visual?" Michael questioned. Birkoff whistled and sighed. "I might have a camera that has a bounced image from a glass object... that looks in the window on top of the door... might take some doing, Michael..." Birkoff stated and Michael leaned back and rocked on his heels. He saw that Nikita had calmed down, but knew he had to give Nikita some more time. "How long will it take you?"

"At least a couple days... counting on how much work Madeline throws my way... We have some grants that need stats..." Birkoff started to ramble, never one to give Michael a firm time. He took them as deadlines.

"How long, Seymour!" Michael hissed out as he leaned back down into Birkoff's face. He leaned back and took a deep breath, looking at Michael. He meant business when he called him Seymour.

"Next Tuesday... the earliest..." Birkoff stated. Michael shook his head and turned around. Birkoff swallowed and knew that he was going to be putting in extra hours this weekend to get Michael what he wanted.

Michael moved to his office. He didn't understand why, but he couldn't stay away. He entered and looked at Nikita's closed eyes and wondered for a second if she was asleep. "Nikita?"

She didn't respond. Michael looked over his shoulder and touched her arm slightly.

Big mistake!

"NO!" Nikita shouted and jumped at the same moment. She slapped Michael hard before she got an idea of what was happening and immediately stopped herself.

But she continued to shake.

"Andrea has been taken to a lockdown unit... Did she assault you? We would press charges..." Michael questioned as he settled down in his chair.

"No... just threats.... Can we talk about my change in job?" Nikita questioned as she lightly chewed on her bottom lip. She cradled her hands together in an attempt to hide that she was still shaking.

"It is still the day program... No individual therapy... You have to handle what comes in..." Michael started to describe the job for Nikita. She pressed her lips together. He knew that it wasn't real therapy in a sense, but he had a feeling that Nikita would find out a way to do all of it.

"I can do that..." Nikita stated as she lifted her head and only briefly looked into Michael's eyes. He pressed his lips together and turned his head away, not wanting to force Nikita to look at him. "It's ok to be frightened about what happened... I know that I am still shaking on the inside..."

"I'd rather not talk about it..." Nikita spoke and she stood up. She moved to the door and stopped. "Michael?"

"Yes, Nikita?"

"There was something wrong with my car... this afternoon..." Nikita lied as she looked towards him. She wanted to run into his arms. She wanted to cry in his arms. Anything but stand there lying.

"Do you want me to look at it?" Michael questioned as he turned his head to look at the door. Nikita was staring at the wall. She didn't trust herself to look at Michael. She was afraid of being weak in front of Michael, and if anything, that would make Michael feel more comfortable about the entire situation.

"No... and it didn't start... I guess I will just have to call for a cab or something..." Nikita stated as she started to inch away. Michael licked lips and lifted his eyes. This was the only way that Nikita could reach out to him. "I can give you a ride home."

"No... I'll just get a cab... I don't want you to go out of your way.." Nikita continued to state as she continued to shake. Michael knew the truth. Nikita didn't trust herself to drive home. "It's no problem, Nikita."

"Well... I'll go work on paperwork until you are finished..." Nikita sighed out as she rubbed her arms, again, attempting to conceal her unsteadiness.

"I'm done. Let's get your coat and get you home..." Michael stated immediately as he started to move away from his desk and flicked the switch off. He looked at Nikita and continued out of the office.

She was shocked.

That was the reaction that he wanted.

~~

Michael glanced at Nikita as he drove forward. She had been silent the entire trip, but her body told another story. She moved her hands rapidly and then would stop if Michael turned his head towards her. Her legs were bouncing every which way and Michael could just feel the tension in the car.

"Nikita? What did you fight about with your mentor?" Michael questioned as he looked over to her at the next red light. Nikita blinked her eyes and didn't turn towards him.

"You."

"Me?" Michael questioned, surprised to hear such a response. He was thinking that it was going to be able the job.

"The job is fine... but the fact that I am working with you seems wrong to... to my mentor..." Nikita spoke carefully, still wanting to hide something from Michael. She glanced over her shoulder and felt almost naked to Michael.

"Because I helped you?" Michael questioned and Nikita's body jerked slightly.

"I'd rather not talk about it. My mentor and I probably have a different relationship..." Nikita spoke and Michael paused. He just knew that Nikita wasn't being truthful with anyone.

"What are you going to tell Walter?" Michael questioned as he tried to continue the conversation. It was probably something that Nikita needed most.

"Nothing," Nikita admitted as she stared at the window. They were nearing the house and Nikita felt cold again.

How she wanted to just spill everything out to Michael!

"Would it be easier for me to walk you to the door and explain what happened? It had nothing to do with you, Nikita," Michael offered politely as he turned onto Nikita's street. She was shaking again, but she was also shaking her head.

"He doesn't approve of me having this job. I'm not telling him..." Nikita reiterated. She spotted the house and felt her stomach flip once more. Michael stopped and then looked towards the house. The porch light was on. Walter was probably up waiting for her.

"Do you want me to pick you up in the morning? It wouldn't be a problem..." Michael questioned as he unlocked the doors and waited for Nikita to move. She was frozen as she stared at the door.

Nikita couldn't control her urges. She just wanted to break down and cry. The old Nikita could have done that with Michael. He would have expected her to be weak. But Nikita was sure that she was strong now, that she had to be brave and face her worries on her own.

Even if it meant hiding them far far away.

"Something wrong, Kita?" Michael questioned. Nikita jerked her head around staring at Michael as her hand grasped the handle. The way he said her name made Nikita want to run but also to stay.

But this was the man that sent her to Walter. He didn't care about her worries and what she wanted. This was the man that just moved her on like everyone else in Nikita's life. Nikita opened the door and walked on, silently leaving Michael in the car, giving him no answers.

Nikita heard the car pull away. She was glad that Michael didn't try to race after her and demand answers. She felt that she had made the perfect get away.

Until Walter opened the door.

"Where have you been? And where is your car? And who dropped you off?" Walter started immediately to demand as Nikita walked up the walk. Her face turned cold as she looked at Walter and frowned.

"I'm not a child," Nikita reminded Walter bitterly.

"But I was worried about you.... You aren't ever late..." Walter started in again and Nikita blinked her eyes.

"Pappap... can't you just accept that my car broke down and someone had to ride me home, and that it was nothing else than that!" Nikita snapped as she pushed through Walter's stubborn body as he attempted to block the door.

"But you could have told me when I stopped by!" Walter hissed back and Nikita continued down the hallway. "I didn't know that you stopped by..."

"I told that boy! How can I let you work at a place that can't even give you the message!" Walter continued to huff and puff as he watched Nikita skirt the kitchen and start towards her little haven in the house. "Aren't you going to eat?"

"Why? You think that I have to stop everything because of what you want? This is my life, pappap. And maybe you don't like me working at Section One.. but I think it is the best decision I have ever made in my life!" Nikita hollered back as she opened the door, slammed it after her and locked it promptly.

The music was turned up loudly to hide Walter's continued screaming. But nothing could hide the tears that were rolling down Nikita's face. She flopped down on the bed and sighed.

She needed to relax, but right now that was impossible.

*

It is the greatest of all advantages to enjoy no advantage at all. -Henry David Thoreau

"What are you listening to?" Nikita questioned as she looked at the group of teenagers all around her. They giggled and laughed.

"We thought that since you banned rap that you would like this..." Laury laughed as she looked at Nikita. Nikita hitched an eyebrow up and wasn't sure what she was going to do with Laury. Laury was relatively new to Section One, but her moods were all over the place.

Nikita sighed.

"I still don't know what this is!" Nikita complained and the entire group laughed. "It's the Brady Bunch Theme song... I'm sure you would know it!" Laury stated and Nikita swallowed.

"I didn't have a television when I was young..." Nikita revealed and pulled her papers again. The teenagers were very well behaved for Nikita. They had been a bite guarded those first few days that Nikita had worked with them, but as the second week waned, things were going very well for all.

Of course Nikita wanted to do more than baby-sit.

Nikita dropped her pen and sighed. She was thinking about Michael again for no reason. It could have been that she was thinking about talking to him about Laury, but that wasn't it.

There was much more about Michael.

He had been in front of her house the next morning when the cab pulled up to take Nikita to work. Michael waved them off as Nikita walked out and stared at him. She was upset with him, knowing that she wanted to be independent and strong.

But it ended up being good.

Nikita got to complain about Walter. It was difficult to explain it all, but Michael carefully listened and offered his opinion.

But Nikita wasn't ready to leave the safety of Walter's house. In fact she was scared to live on her own. Michael had to know that!

The best thing was that after the ride to Section One, Michael backed off, allowing Nikita to find her way in the new job and learn to find her calmness again. Nikita was sure that he was busy, but need down she had to wonder if Michael was doing this on purpose.

The music blared, getting Nikita's attention. She shook her head as she saw Laury suddenly dancing around and not with the music. "Laury... turn it down...."

"What?" Laury questioned, as she seemed to be jerked out of the state that she was in.

Nikita blinked her eyes and tried not to indicate that she was upset with Laury's altering moods today. Yesterday Laury was having difficulties working with the art project Nikita had brought in from them all. She kept on shaking her hands as if they were cold or asleep. Nikita rolled her eyes as Laury smiled and laughed as she turned the music up before turning it down.

"And don't you have homework?" Nikita questioned and Laury bowed her head. Nikita liked Laury, but sometimes Nikita had to wonder what else was going on with Laury. She had passed all of the mandatory preliminary tests that Section One runs on everyone. Laury wasn't acting this way because she was a drug addict and she wasn't acting this way from hormones from pregnancy.

So Nikita's mind knew that it limited it to many things. Mental things. Nikita didn't like that.

Nikita pulled her pen up and then turned to help one of the teenagers with some homework.

~~

"That is what was said in that room..." Birkoff stated to Michael as he stood near the door of Michael's office. Birkoff knew that it wasn't good, but when he finally heard the words, he wanted to cry for Nikita.

Michael swallowed as he looked at Birkoff. He was about to cry in front of Birkoff because of what Nikita had to go through. The words were harsh. And how Andrea believed that Nikita had something for him was ludicrous. Nikita had kept her distance from him.

"Isn't anyone going to talk to her?" Birkoff questioned when Michael looked at the written words again. There was no need for him to listen to the tape again that Birkoff had carefully restored.

"Why? She is doing great with the group..." Michael stated and Birkoff rolled his eyes and moved to the chair. He looked around and then leaned into Michael. "But she is the Ice Queen."

"That's Madeline, Seymour," Michael corrected the young man. Birkoff rolled his eyes and rubbed his hands together. "She has no friends..."

"That's her decision, Birkoff..." Michael pointed out. He was correct, but Michael wasn't buying his lies. There were so many times in these past two weeks that Michael wanted to stop Nikita in the hallway and tell her that she needed to talk.

But Michael was unsure if Nikita would open up. The only thing that Michael learned was that there was a great big deal of pretending at her house with Walter and that her mentor had no concept of what happened to Nikita as a child.

"Well... it's just not normal!" Birkoff cried out as he pounded his hands on the desk for emphasis. Michael raised an eyebrow and sighed. "I know.. but we don't always do normal things when we are hurting..."

"Michael..." Madeline spoke from the doorway. Michael took a steady breath, knowing that Madeline hadn't heard any of their conversation. Michael slightly hid the words from what Birkoff found and smiled at Madeline. "Birkoff... can you excuse us?"

"Sure... I'm glad I got those results to you. Tell me if you need more," Birkoff hastily spoke as he stood up and rushed out of the room. He was not one that wanted to stay around Madeline more than he had too. Especially when Madeline wanted to speak with Michael.

"Have a seat, Madeline," Michael stated as he looked to the chair that Birkoff had vacated. Madeline turned and closed the door first. "I will be leaving the country for a while..."

"Oh?" Michael stated, although he was not shocked to hear that. He had friends throughout the world and he knew of Paul being in England now for several months, working on another Section while he was also still in the running for the government job in France.

"Yes... We are going to be opening a substation of Section Four.... Paul has been working in England for several months... but final decisions on staff are needed and he needs me to interview..." Madeline stated and Michael nodded his head. "What are our contingency plans?"

"You will be filling in for my absence. You do understand how important that it is for me to have total and complete trust in you," Madeline smiled out. Michael could feel his insides crawling around. There was much more to what Madeline was saying.

There had to be a test here, somewhere.

"I will work hard to keep things here at the status quo while you are recruiting new talent..." Michael spoke the words that Madeline was waiting for. Madeline smiled and folded her hands demurely on her lap. "Talking about talent... Nikita has been working out great with the teenagers..."

"It has been light the past week. With the weather turning around our numbers drop in the day program..." Michael recited the stats. He didn't want to reveal how much he was really keeping up on Nikita's work. He read every single report that she filed. Sometimes he would read them twice, to see if any of the teenagers would break and snap at Nikita.

"Well... I was hoping that we could start assigning her more duties. Don't you think that she is ready?" Madeline questioned as she merely blinked her eyes. Madeline had been planning this conversation and thus far, Michael had responded exactly as she had predicted.

"I think that Nikita is still trying to apply the standards, expectations, and protocols of Section One," Michael assessed. Madeline shrugged her shoulders. "We have to look at Nikita has a whole person..."

Only Nikita didn't even see herself as a whole person.

"I'll take it under advisement. Perhaps one of her clients in the group will need to go to more of a private therapy... those would be good cases..." Michael sounded like he agreed. Madeline was pleased and switched her crossed legs.

"Well... I hope you trust her... I'm going to need you to go to a meeting tonight..." Madeline stated and Michael raised an eyebrow. This was the test that Madeline was planning. "Meeting? Tonight? How does this effect Nikita?"

"It is out of the city.... You'll leave tonight and come back after the weekend. It is a formality, but some officials who are looking into Paul's government position want to talk to a high-ranking employee... You will be that person..." Madeline informed Michael as she handed over the information and the hotel registration that was made. Michael glanced over the material and felt his entire stomach exploding with nerves. This wasn't a good idea.

"So... with you out of the building... day programs would be run by the therapist running the teenagers..." Madeline declared, knowing that she was speaking directly about Nikita.

"She isn't ready for that type of responsibility. We have other therapists that have had responsibility like that.." Michael immediately countered. Madeline shook her head.

"Nikita has excellent leadership experience. She ran the night clinic at that shelter for battered women. I'm sure this is a walk in the park for her. That is who you will leave in charge."

Michael wanted to frown as Madeline stood up. He knew that this was Madeline's throwing of the gauntlet, trying to test Nikita. Trying to get rid of Nikita.

"I'll prepare her and get ready to leave..." Michael replied as he tapped the information on his desk. Madeline smiled and looked around the office. "I'm leaving this minute... take care of Section One, Michael. I don't expect emergency phone calls..."

"There won't be a need," Michael replied and Madeline smiled. She was seeing Michael wiggle on the string that she had set out for him and she was going to have fun in the next few weeks. If Nikita didn't quit by the end of the week first.

~~

"You needed to speak with me?" Nikita questioned as she entered the small conference room. Michael decided that he didn't want to meet in his office for this meeting. There may have been a possibility that Nikita would associate it with the experience with Andrea.

Of course, Nikita had only been cold and bitter the past few days when he attempted to start conversations.

"I will be going out of town for a few days..." Michael announced and Nikita rolled her eyes. She didn't see what this mattered to her. It was not like she worked day in and day out with Michael. "It will leave you in charge of the day programs... the individual therapists will continue on as normal.. but if problems arise with the day programs... you will have to fill in staff and deal with the clients."

"You make it sound difficult," Nikita spoke, but Michael could hear the dull tone in Nikita's voice. She was not impressed at all.

"It can be challenging. The teens can sense when there are not high-ranking staff in Section. They tend to act up," Michael stated and Nikita shrugged her shoulders. She had been dealing with Laury. Nothing could be as confusing as Laury.

"Nikita... I am going to leave you my number... and if anything would happen... if you don't feel equipped enough to do this... I want you to close down day program and get in touch with me..." Michael continued on as he pressed the paper with all the important and emergency numbers. He had highlighted his number in fluorescent green.

"You don't think I can do this? What can I do to prove that I am capable of doing all of this?" Nikita hissed out as she snatched the paper off of the table and stared at Michael. She had had it with the cold shoulder. She had had it with the attitude.

"Open up..." Michael choked out and then licked his lips. "I wanted to discuss a case with you..."

"Open up? I'm not able to do this job because I have decided that it is better to keep the sordid details of my past hidden?" Nikita bitter hissed back at Michael. She shook her head in disbelief.

"You asked... That is my assessment..." Michael replied as he pulled up the file he had been monitoring for a while. "Now... let's talk about Laury..."

"Assessment? What Nikita were you assessing? The one that has been doing her job with the teenagers or that imaginary Nikita who is the same Nikita from six years ago?" Nikita barked out. Michael blinked his eyes and looked up at Nikita. It was one big defensive wall right now. She wasn't ready to open up.

"I think that is a question you should be asking yourself... because I don't think that the Nikita standing in front of me is being true to herself..." Michael spoke back.

"What exactly do you want out of me, Michael? Do you want me to be the therapist that you hired to baby-sit the wild teenagers or do you want me to be the perfect little client, and tell you all the problems that I have? When do you get to see me as a grown up?" Nikita questioned back as she stood up. Michael stood up to follow suit. He would not have Nikita running away from this.

"I will do that once you act like one and admit that there are problems!" Michael hollered. Nikita chilled and back towards the wall. She rubbed her hands together and then swallowed. "So then, great therapist... tell me what is wrong with Laury..."

"Nikita..." Michael softened as he looked at her. He regretted his words. There were hundreds of ways to say them in a nicer manner and one that was not confrontational as this had been.

"No more talking about me.... Laury has problems.. but I don't know what..." Nikita stated as she shook her head back and forth. It was clear to Michael that Nikita wasn't going to speak any more about herself, that she was shutting herself off to him once more.

"Your reports have altered states of mind and mood swings. What do you think it is?" Michael questioned as he moved back to his chair and settled back in. He had the paperwork there and he waited for Nikita to verbally say what she had written on the reports.

"She isn't a threat to the group... but I think there is something wrong... and she has the symptoms of being Bipolar... but it just doesn't settle right in my stomach.." Nikita intelligently spoke; making Michael surprised that after their harsh words that Nikita could pull back together like this.

"I'm going to assign the case out.... It is clear that it is difficult and someone with more expertise..." Michael started to informed Nikita, but she moved forward as she shook her head. "I don't think that is warranted, Michael..."

"Nikita... it is my final say..." Michael reminded Nikita as he leaned back in his chair. Nikita was mad with him right now and he just wished that Nikita would say that. "I think there is something else going on here. Laury is not opening up. We don't know if she is having physical signs of some medical condition because she has closed herself off..."

Michael bit back to the words that Laury was acting like Nikita. He looked to Nikita and took a deep breath. There was a feeling of impending doom of allowing Nikita to continue the treatment as she had selected, but that was what Michael was going to do.

"For now.. she stays with the group... But if there is any outburst... she is moved..." Michael stated and Nikita nodded her head. She looked around and shrugged her shoulders.

"Well.. if there isn't anything else..."

"There is," Michael spoke and Nikita blinked her eyes. She had thought that this meeting would soon be over. She had to worry if this conversation was going to go back to her personal life. "Please sit down, Kita..."

"I'd rather stand," Nikita commented as she looked at Michael. He wanted to just get Nikita to sit down, but her stubbornness was unbearable. Michael nodded his head and folded his hands on top of the table. "You'll have to do more while I'm out of town for a few days..."

"Oh? What does this mean?" Nikita questioned. She was unimpressed and she didn't understand why Michael was telling her personally. Michael also saw further into Nikita's thoughts. She was sure that Michael was only doing this because he was making her a special case.

And she was.

"Whenever all senior staff is out of Section One... the responsibilities are split. I have a list of what you are going to be in charge of... And it will consist of the entire day program..." Michael related as he pushed forward more papers for Nikita.

"This doesn't seem difficult," Nikita commented after she had shuffled through the papers. Michael felt cold and swallowed back all of his worries. He was under orders to do this. "Nikita... if anything happens... just close down the day program... and get in touch with me..."

"You don't think I can do this..." Nikita stated out bitterly again. Michael groaned and allowed Nikita to see his frustration.

"This isn't about what you can and cannot do. It is what I feel I need to do to protect my newest employee. You have never been here while senior staff is gone. The kids know," Michael admitted as he leaned forward on the table. "And no words can explain what happens then."

"I can handle it," Nikita stated as she pulled the papers up and walked out of the room.

Without being dismissed.

Michael groaned and shook his head. Nothing good was going to come out of this.

~~

"So, where are you off too?" Davenport questioned Michael as he dropped a few charts down on Birkoff's desk. Michael turned and tried to put on a happy face. It was a great honor to be sent out on meetings for the behalf of Section One, especially when one was going out as a replacement of Madeline or Operations.

"Northern France... I should be done for Saturday... but I may take my time coming back... I have some time..." Michael indicated to both Davenport and Birkoff who was listening from his computer.

"And he is leaving Nikita in charge of the day program..." Birkoff pointed out to Davenport. Birkoff smiled as he looked at the reaction on Davenport's face. It was clear that Nikita was the last person in the world that Davenport would put Section One's day-to-day activities into their scope of responsibilities.

"Come on, Michael... Now that is just insane!" Davenport barked out, much like Birkoff had done ten minutes earlier.

"It is out of my hands. It was Madeline's decision and order," Michael truthfully spoke. In many ways, he expected the truth of the situation to be his saving grace. It would absolve Michael of any guilt if something would happen.

Except for his personal guilt.

"Davenport... I need you to watch over her..." Michael declared and Davenport sighed and rolled his eyes. He had enough problems in the clinic. He didn't think that he could squish Nikita into those jobs.

Until Michael looked at him.

"You know I will do that," Davenport replied.

When Michael had said the same thing to Birkoff, Birkoff rejected that thought. That was why Michael had spent ten minutes reading the rules and regulations according to Michael to Birkoff.

In the end, Birkoff knew that he would look out for Nikita.

He liked Nikita.

"And don't tell Nikita," Michael spoke as he moved way from the two. Birkoff looked and Davenport and started to shake his head.

"Aren't those two ever going to learn?" Davenport verbally wondered as he turned and left Birkoff, knowing that it was going to be a long few days.

*

There are some things you learn best in calm, and some in storm. ~~ Willa Cather

Nikita settled down the empty mug of coffee as she started to look through the pile of papers that were in her mailbox. Nikita groaned as she saw the paperwork.

Paperwork was not therapy.

"The first day went well..." Birkoff started off the conversation. Nikita lifted her head and let out a meek little smile. She was exhausted, but not because of the job.

Because Michael's words had been haunting her.

"It went smooth... Has there been any call offs?" Nikita questioned and Birkoff shook his head back and forth with the good news. Nikita pulled a chair up to the opposite side of Birkoff's desk and started to go through the paperwork.

"Must be weird for you..." Birkoff continued and Nikita lifted an eyebrow. She wasn't quite sure what Birkoff was speaking about or for that matter, why he was speaking to her at all. "I'm fine."

"Yeah... but having this responsibility now... You do know that Madeline is testing you," Birkoff stated with a slight shrug of his shoulders. Nikita pressed her lips together and allowed a small sigh out. She had that feeling about Madeline and had heard rumors of the kinds of things that Madeline orchestrates just to see if her personnel are strong enough.

Birkoff attempted to go back to work, but he had been told by Michael to watch Nikita. He didn't know what exactly what Michael meant in the details of watching after her, but now with Nikita sitting there, doing some of the needed paperwork, Birkoff couldn't concentrate.

"Sugar.... I didn't expect to see you out here..." Walter spoke as he entered the door. Nikita jerked her head up and looked around. Birkoff was going to start laughing when he saw the look in Nikita's eyes that warned him not to say anything to anyone about what Walter calls her. "What are you doing here?"

The past day had been cold between the two. Walter didn't know that Michael was out of town and he didn't know that Nikita was in charge of the entire day program. Nikita hadn't even seen him, which was fine with her. She was still in the stage of being stubbornly mad at him for his yelling at her.

"I was hoping we could get some coffee... and talk..." Walter stated as he moved towards the desk. Nikita looked to Birkoff and swallowed. "I'm busy."

"Nikita..." Birkoff whispered and Nikita kicked the side of the desk. She didn't want to have this conversation anytime right now. Especially right now.

"Please... just five minutes... I think we have to talk about what happened..." Walter stated and Nikita sighed. Her resolve was melting, but she wasn't going to let him off of the hook. He had acted like an overprotective parent. And that was something that was uncomfortable to Nikita.

"Birkoff... I have the pager incase you need to get in touch with me... We'll be around the corner at the diner..." Nikita announced as she shoved the paperwork back into her mailbox and carefully looked at Walter. It was clear from Nikita's eyes that she wasn't going to play any of Walter's games. Years ago, Walter would get her out for lunch at one of her jobs and start driving and driving, forgetting that she needed to go back. It was hard to explain that you were hungry because your grandfather made you go and study a statue of some fairytale character for lunch instead of stopping at McDonald's or something normal.

Nikita quickly pushed her way out of Section One, leaving Birkoff quiet. He would hold the fort for the time being. Nikita turned and saw Walter slowly walking out of Section One, still confused with what was going on. "Why are you on the pager?"

"It is temporary... Nothing for you to worry about," Nikita commented as she continued on. Walter attempted a few times to grab Nikita, but she continued on until she yanked the door open to the diner and waited for Walter to enter. Together, they made their way over to the corner table.

"I've been thinking a lot about what happened... and I wanted to you to know how sorry I am..." Walter started after the simple orders were given to the waitress. Nikita blinked her eyes and turned her head to the side. "It doesn't matter."

"It does matter, Nikita..." Walter urged out, hoping for Nikita to understand him. He grabbed her hand when Nikita again turned her gaze away from him. He waited for Nikita's eyes to look towards his own warm eyes. "I was acting like your father... and I had no right to do that..."

"It's good to know that you know that...." Nikita stated out firmly. Nikita pulled her arms around herself and groaned. "I don't want to be mad at you, Pappap... but it is like you won't let me grow up..."

"I'm worried about you... I don't even know who you are... You never let me in..." Walter spoke and Nikita nodded her head. She looked to her long fingers and tried to smile. "Would you be happy to hear that no one gets in?"

"No... that would make me more worried," admitted Walter as he leaned forward to pull Nikita's hand out from her body once more. He looked at her and swallowed. "I can't make up for what you have been pulled away with from being with your mother..."

"I never expected you to do that," Nikita replied as she batted her eyes. She couldn't go through all of this right now.

"But in some ways I feel that I need to do that... because I am responsible for you.." Walter stated and Nikita shook her head back and forth. She licked her lips and sighed painfully. "You have been a home for me. Somewhere safe. You have been my education... But I barely remember my father... I don't know what it feels to have parents... I don't know what a family should be... And I don't want that..."

"You don't want friends either," Walter cringed out as he saw the truth. Nikita, even with all the opportunities that he had tried to give her, felt that it was better to shut everyone out.

"That's my decision. I don't think I have found anyone that I want to be friends with," said Nikita as she patted her tightly pulled hair. Walter shook his hair. Nikita's words were hurting him more than she knew. Walter was sure that Nikita didn't even realize that her words were hurting him.

"Well.. either way... In an attempt to gain control of the situation.. I'm going go out of town for a while... go biking with a couple pals of mine.." Walter stated coldly. He felt like his granddaughter had disowned him. Nikita blinked her eyes and nodded her head. "It will be a vacation for you."

"It will be the first time that I left you alone..." Walter choked up as he thought about it. There was a difference of a few hours. This was going to be at least an entire week, if not longer.

"It has to happen sooner or later.." Nikita replied as she looked around. She was about to say something else, to delve until more, when the pager went off. Nikita shrugged her shoulders and moved to the telephone.

It was a false alarm. But Nikita was sure going to thank Birkoff.

In a few minutes, she had split up from her grandfather, scared out of her mind that she was going to be alone in the house.

And that another person had abandoned her.

~~

"You look a bit off, Nikita," Davenport commented as she walked down to the clinic with her hands full of paperwork. She divided the papers that were for Davenport and handed them to Davenport.

"It is just a long day. My grandfather stopped by for some coffee," Nikita stated as she looked at Davenport's hands as he took the papers off of Nikita's hands.

"Family does strange things... but usually it is for the best of the members..." Davenport commented and Nikita shrugged her shoulders. "He is just my grandfather. We aren't really family."

Davenport wanted to say something more, but Nikita kept her mouth shut as she picked up more paperwork from the labs that were run.

One of her teenagers was pregnant. "I'll send her down immediately..."

"That's probably the best. Do you want to assign her a therapist?" Davenport questioned and Nikita looked at him with her stark face. Davenport wanted to call Michael and yell at him for doing this. It seemed as if the problems were piling on quickly for Nikita.

"No... Michael can do it when he is back on Monday. I would assign myself and I know that he feels I am not ready for that," Nikita snapped as she looked further through the pile and then lifted her head. "Nothing new about Laury?"

"She hasn't been on the schedule to look at. Is something wrong?" Davenport questioned and Nikita shrugged her shoulders. She knew that Section One did not operate that much on hunches, but Nikita did. That was one difference between herself and Section One. A big one.

"She has terrible mood swings... and complains of her hands and feet falling asleep.... And sometimes she spaces out..." Nikita ran down the symptoms. Davenport lifted an eyebrow.

"That is a hodgepodge of symptoms.... That could be all psychological... with psychosomatic symptoms... or that could be at least one hundred normal medical conditions with thousands of other things that I could look at. Does she want to know what is going on?" Davenport assessed and then questioned. Nikita sighed and leaned against the wall. She had this conversation with Laury yesterday. Laury didn't see that something was wrong. She claimed that her hands were just asleep because she would hold them funny and lean on them. And teenagers rarely saw mood swings in themselves.

"She is a sixteen year old. She thinks she is Peter Pan," Nikita bitterly spoke. Davenport nodded his head and then shrugged his shoulders. "Then you only know that it isn't caused by pregnancy, drug use, or infections caused by any of the STD's. That could be comforting."

"It's not," Nikita snapped as she pushed away her way out of the clinic and back down the hallway. She ignored all of the calls for her to stop and talk to people. The questions she was hearing were unimportant and she flew past Birkoff and into her assigned room. To mayhem.

"YOU F-CKING BITCH!" Laury screamed as she turned around in a circle of the teens that had formed from her behavior. Nikita swallowed and touched a few of the girls who were shaking. She saw Camille, who was going to find out that she was pregnant and sent her down to medical. Nikita slowly pealed away some of the teens that had nothing to do with this outburst.

"All uppity-up like that... like you got a damn twenty five foot pool stuck up your ass.. judging me?" Laury continued, but it wasn't to any particularly.

"Laury... you can stop that. I'm here now and we can talk this out," Nikita stated as she pushed through the ring of the children and stood closest to Laury. She shook her head as she backed up. "You know nothing! I don't want your f-cking help!"

Nikita watched as Laury flashed the middle finger to Nikita. Nikita swallowed and looked at the teens, which now that Nikita was there, was starting to back up and away from Nikita.

"Laury... you talked to me yesterday... Can't we do that again?" Nikita questioned softly, keeping her voice soft.

But then Laury pressed against a bookshelf and started to throw books at the group. Nikita ducked and then swallowed. "Everyone, get out of the room..."

Not everyone listened to Nikita. There were two girls that stayed by the doorway and Nikita swallowed and backed up some. Nikita ignored the girls and knew that she had to worry about Laury at the moment. She was what mattered.

"I don't want to talk to you! You think I want to talk to some f-cked up bitch that can't even be friends with staff because she is afraid that they are going to shove her against the f-cking wall and have their way with her? What good are you to me!" Laury screamed and Nikita swallowed back her personal reaction to Laury's words, which was to walk away.

"Laury... can you calm down? Can you try?" Nikita questioned. She got a book thrown at her.

"Look here, you skinny ass sl-t! Maybe Mr. Michael Samuelle wants to get into your panties... but no other f-cking asshole here would want to touch that used, abused and loose as hell p-ssy of yours in the next century, decade, or millennium!" Laury yelled. Nikita swallowed. She had to get Laury off of these personal attacks on her. All that Laury was trying to do was to push Nikita further and further away.

"What happened today, Laury? Tell me," Nikita stated even as her voice cracked. A sign that the words that Laury were spewing, were effecting her.

"Oh? Am I to feel sorry for hurting your feelings?" Laury questioned out of mocked sadness. Nikita stared at her with firm eyes. "That doesn't work with me. All those other f-cking dimwits... maybe.. They think that you are all that... that you know it all... You don't know nothing!"

"I know some, Laury. What do you want to know? What it feels to be on the streets? What it feels like to run away from home and live on the streets because the streets are better for you? Or what it feels like to find help? It isn't easy to accept help and it doesn't come along so easily... and I am offering you help..." Nikita furious spoke. Nikita's eyes were wet.

"I can't do anything until you start to talk," Nikita stated as she looked at Laury. She continued to shake her head back and forth. Not letting Nikita's words in.

"F-ck you!" Laury yelled out and Nikita swallowed.

"Laury... I worry about you... and I don't think you have any control over what is happening to you right now... Please, let me help..." Nikita whispered. She was running out of options. If Laury didn't want her help, there wasn't much more left to do. Laury would be taken out of Section One for the day and probably banded for several days or weeks.

"F-ck you! I don't need your f-cking help!" Laury screamed out finally and Nikita swallowed. She didn't want to do this, but she was going to have to get the guards to help her. Laury couldn't be allowed to continue on this. Nikita turned and looked at the girls. "Will one of you go to the medical clinic and get Davenport..."

"I don't need a f-cking doctor!" Laury screamed at Nikita as her back was still turned to her. Nikita didn't turn around to look at Laury. "Laury... we can't turn you out on the streets like this... Maybe Davenport can find a way for you to calm down..."

"I don't want no f-cking drugs!" Laury yelled as she hand started to search for something on the bookcase. Laury found the large and heavy bookend and charged towards Nikita.

Nikita didn't see it coming.

~~

"What is going on out here?" Davenport questioned as he inched out of the clinic. Camille had been no hope. As soon as Nikita sent her down to the clinic, she knew that she was pregnant. Section One did not advocate for abortions and Camille immediately started to cry, unable to tell the staff what was going on in the room.

But the noise had increased in the hallway and brought Davenport out. He looked for someone and Birkoff looked towards Nikita's room. Davenport started to push through the kids when two stopped in front of him. "Nikita wants you... She got some wild one in there..."

"Laury?" Davenport questioned and the girls nodded their heads. Davenport looked to Birkoff and silently told Birkoff to get the guards to that room. Davenport hurried down the hallway and came across the door.

"NIKITA!" Davenport yelled as he saw Nikita down on the floor, her hand on the back of her head. She lifted her head and blinked her eyes. Laury was in the corner of the room, shaking and crying.

The guards ran into the room and hurried towards Laury. Davenport barked out orders for sedation and new blood tests. He moved towards Nikita, but she rolled to a sitting position before Davenport could touch her. Nikita had another bump on the forehead and Davenport found it impossible to guess how bad it was.

"I'm fine..." Nikita stated as she continued to hold the back of her head, where she was still bleeding.

"Let me get you down to medical..." Davenport stated and Nikita shook her head back and forth. She only had a few minutes until she was going to break down in large sobs, and she didn't plan on doing that in front of anyone.

Michael had been right. She couldn't do this.

"Laury needs you.... It isn't mental... I know it..." Nikita blurted out as she looked into Davenport's eyes. "You are still bleeding..."

"It looks worse than it is. It needs a band aid..." Nikita stated and Davenport frowned. He couldn't order Nikita to go to the medical clinic with him. But he felt that she needed to be examined at least.

"Please, Nikita. You may have a concussion and should get some ice on your forehead..." Davenport offered and Nikita shook her head. "I have to do the paperwork and we are going to close the day program today... It is only out early by two hours..."

"I think that is a good idea... Plus the weather is good. No one is going to be upset to be outside..." Davenport confirmed. Nikita brushed passed him and quickly down the hallway to her small office.

Davenport didn't see Nikita exit. He had gone down to deal with Laury, who was now heavily sedated and to talk to Camille. His day was not going to end anytime soon.

Birkoff had tried to stop Nikita when she was exiting the building. There was a lot that she still needed to do. Instead, she handed Birkoff a sealed envelope as she left. Birkoff stared at Nikita and swallowed.

He wondered if he should call Michael now.

Birkoff didn't wait for Michael to open the envelope. This was an extreme case and Birkoff tore it open, wondering if it held a reason for calling Michael.

I, Nikita Marie Jackson, write my resignation from my position with Section One effectively immediately. The senior staff member on several occasions has questioned my abilities as a therapist and my personal issues. On the level, I believed that the staff was wrong, but now my superiors were correct in their assessment and I have failed in my position. Because I cannot perform the functions that my position requires from me, I tender my resignation. Sincerely, Nikita

There was a personal note in the envelope and Birkoff looked around. He pulled up the little pink paper and swallowed as he saw the words.

Happy that you were right? Good-bye. Once and for all. Nikita

Birkoff dropped the letters and pulled up the phone. He didn't hesitate at all. He had seen Nikita's work and had no reserved judgments on if Nikita's past could effect her work now.

"Michael? I think you need to come back. Now."

*

Everybody's Hell is different. It's not all fire and pain. The real Hell is your life gone wrong. ~What Dreams May Come

Birkoff tapped his hands on the desk, doing anything to keep himself awake. It was now late in the night, or early in the morning. Either way, Birkoff knew that he had been inside of Section One way too long on this day.

But Michael was driving back immediately.

Birkoff had attempted to call Nikita's house, and no one answered, not even her grandfather. Birkoff had to wonder if Nikita's grandfather would listen to Nikita and not answer the phone if she were that upset. He had to wonder if the reason why no one was answering was because he had taken Nikita to the hospital for the cut and the bump on Nikita's head.

With a slight drop his head; Birkoff shook his head back and forth. He needed to stay awake, even if there was nothing for him to do and sit there and twiddle his thumbs. Section One was always scary at this time of night, but it was never entirely empty. Fact in point, Davenport was still in the clinic, working with Laury, for some unknown reason to Birkoff.

Birkoff wanted to kick her out to the street. Just like they had done to Andrea. It had taken about an hour for Michael to get out of his meeting that he had been in when Birkoff called. Birkoff couldn't even tell Michael all that happened. What really mattered was that as soon as Birkoff said that Nikita had to close down Section One early, Michael was ready to come back.

The door slammed open and Birkoff lifted his head. Michael was storming down the hallway, his green eyes glaring at Birkoff. Birkoff hated to be the bearer of bad news. And that was his given role at this moment.

"You must have been going a hundred to get back here this quick..." Birkoff chirped up as he looked up at Michael. Michael's face glared at him and Birkoff knew that he shouldn't have said anything at all.

"I have never had this many problems while I have been out of Section One. I hope you are going to explain..." Michael growled out as he looked at Birkoff. Birkoff didn't know that Davenport had called Michael also. The only person that hadn't called Michael was Nikita and that was the one person that Michael had hoped to hear from.

"It's not good... Thing went very badly today," Birkoff stated as Michael pulled off the leather driving gloves from his hands and slapped them down on the desk. "Tell me something that I don't know, Seymour."

"Ah... there was a disturbance with the teenagers.... Laury was going nuts..." Birkoff informed Michael. Michael felt his blood chill. He knew that Laury was going to be in this conversation. "And?"

"Well, Nikita cleared the room as she was taught to do... and she was attempting to get Laury to calm down..."

"Why didn't she call the guards and have her removed as protocols and policy dictates?"

Michael barked out as he questioned Birkoff. Birkoff shrugged his shoulders. "Laury was being very personal Michael... I think that Nikita was just trying to get to a topic that didn't have Laury spewing things about Nikita."

"And?"

"Well... Nikita at one point decided that she was going to follow protocol... and when she turned around to do so, Laury attacked her," Birkoff informed in rushed words and then leaned away from Michael.

But Michael didn't attack the messenger. Michael closed his eyes and shook his head, knowing that he shouldn't have left Nikita. At all.

"Then what?" Michael questioned as he found his voice again. He didn't want to jump to conclusions. "I didn't go into the room.. Davenport went in as the guards took Laury down to medical..... Nikita ran to her office and minutes later she was running out of here, closing the day program along with her..."

Michael turned around in a circle. Nikita ran away. It was not what he needed right now. And furthermore, Michael did not need Madeline finding this out. Michael was sure that this was exactly what Madeline had planned for. She didn't want Nikita around.

The doors down the hallway opened and Davenport staggered down the hallway, rubbing his face as he came. He had heard that Michael was back in and decided that it was best to go discuss this with Michael than having Michael coming to find him.

"Sorry about this," Davenport stated and Michael mumbled something underneath his breath. Davenport leaned against the desk and showed how exhausted he was at the moment. "The good news... Nikita was right about Laury... it was something we didn't expect..."

"Why are we still treating her? We don't treat individuals who have attacked our staff," demanded Michael as he turned his body towards Davenport. Davenport swallowed as he looked into Michael's green eyes and knew he better have answers.

And he did.

"What I saw was not normal, Michael... and what I have found out, explains it all and it was something that I wouldn't have looked for," Davenport explained quickly before he got down to the details. Michael leaned his head to the side showing that he didn't want to wait for the details. "Laury has Lyme Disease... and in very late diagnosis. This isn't good."

"Lyme Disease?" Michael questioned as Birkoff blinked his eyes. "Yes... It's not very common here... in the states, it is common. It comes from a tick and when immediately found, it can easily be cured. We don't know how long Laury has had Lyme Disease, but whenever it goes undiagnosed for as long as it did, it causes mental problems like we saw in Laury," Davenport explained. Michael took a deep breath and pulled his jacket off. Combined with this entire mess were the abundant messages from others on his voice mail inside of Section One. Almost everyone had a comment about what happened, but no details about Nikita. The only phone call that was directly about Nikita was from Walter, which Michael found strange. It was just Walter informing Michael that her emergency contact number was going out of town for a week or two.

Michael turned and looked at Birkoff and Davenport. "And Nikita?"

"She doesn't know about Laury. She was out of here like a bat out of hell," Davenport replied and Michael shook his head out of impatience. "I meant, what happened to Nikita? She was hit..."

"She was bleeding...." Davenport started and Michael swallowed. "How bad?"

"I don't know. She wouldn't let me look," Davenport snapped. He rubbed his hands across his face and swallowed once more. "I tried, Michael... but you know how Nikita is. She wouldn't let me near her... I was afraid that she had a concussion. She got hit pretty bad and had a bump on her forehead. And from what Laury tells me, Nikita lost consciousness... But Nikita wouldn't have anything to do with me."

"How could you two fail me like this?" Michael questioned as he pulled at his jacket again. He had to find Nikita, especially if she had a concussion. She shouldn't be alone and since Walter was out of town, no one would look after her at all.

"It gets worse," Birkoff whispered as he pushed the papers forward. Michael looked at the opened envelope and then to the guilt-ridden Birkoff. "I had to read it, Michael. You didn't see how Nikita left here."

Michael read the first note, the resignation and then groaned. Michael tore it up into shreds and then found the small note. He stared at it and crunched it up.

"Thank you... for doing such a good job on my one favor I asked from you two..." Michael hissed as he turned on his heel and left Section One. The door slammed back and forth as Birkoff dropped his head forward. Davenport placed a hand on Birkoff's arm. "This is not about you..."

"It's about Nikita. I know. I know. But I have this weird feeling that we are all doing the wrong thing with her..." Birkoff stated. Davenport shrugged his shoulders. "I'll be back in the clinic. If I know Michael, he is going to be bringing Nikita back in."

~~

Michael hovered on the porch looking into the house for a light. He didn't see anything. He did know that Nikita was there. Her car was in front of the house.

"Nikita?" Michael called out as he rang the doorbell again. There was no response and Michael gulped in the cool air. His mind had been in overdrive the entire way to the house, thinking about this.

This was caused directly because Nikita hasn't opened up and because she was closed off to him.

Or because he pushed her.

Michael felt the guilt of many things, but tried to push it far away. He needed to find Nikita and see how she was. The fact that she wasn't answering the doorbell just went to further Michael's worries about her injuries.

It couldn't be worse timing than this to happen when Walter decides to take his first vacation in six years.

Michael was wasting time and finally Michael started to move. He had some skills in breaking in and he moved slowly. He was sure that once Walter realized the type of abuse that Nikita had suffered from, that he had placed a very expensive system in. Michael leaned against the door to see that the system was on the wall, but had not been activated. Michael tried the door once more, just in case Nikita didn't lock it.

But it was locked. Michael started with all the windows on the porch first, but all were locked tightly. His game plan was to find something was opened than having to force something open. He moved around to the back to try the back porch, where Michael found a back window with the slightest crack, but enough to push it all the way up and slip into the house. Michael slammed the window down and locked it. He didn't want to waste time needing to come back to close it.

"Nikita?" Michael called out as he walked from the kitchen and into the main hallway. He saw a new section and wandered down the hallway. Nikita had told Michael that although she lived with her grandfather, he had made it so it was private for her. He had to wonder if that meant building in a small apartment area into the huge house for Nikita. The door was opened a crack and Michael saw who he was looking for.

"Nikita?" Michael called out as he tapped on the door, but Nikita didn't even jerk her head up. Michael felt his pulse race sharply as he pushed the door opened. There was nothing going to stop him from being near Nikita.

She jerked when he touched her shoulder. He flicked the light on as Nikita moaned. Her hand was still covering the wound in the back of her head, which was still bleeding. Michael frowned and moved around the area, finding a bathroom with a stash of medical supplies. Michael pulled out several band-aids and moved towards Nikita. "Nikita.... Please talk to me," Michael stated and Nikita jerked her head up. Michael now saw that her jacket had barely made it off of her body and that she had probably fallen on the couch as soon as she arrived home. "I'm fine..."

"You are bleeding," Michael replied as he pushed Nikita's hand away. She was groggy and not responding, as she would have. Michael knew that she probably had a concussion. "We are going back to Section One."

"I quit..." Nikita mumbled as she groaned into the couch. Michael was unimpressed at the moment. "Nikita... you have a bad cut back here. It needs stitches... and I tore up your resignation... You didn't quit..."

"How dare you!" Nikita started to snap but when Nikita sat up she felt the pressure in her head grow again. She swirled and would have fallen down if Michael hadn't caught her. He saw the red bump on her forehead was quite large and groaned as Nikita tried to push his hands off of her. "LET ME GO!"

"I'm helping you... and you are going to Section One," Michael dully spoke, but his mind was racing and praying that Nikita would just listen to him.

"No... No.... No...." Nikita whined out and Michael shook his head as he stood up. He knew that Nikita wasn't going to walk out of this house. She was injured and Michael was going to spare Nikita that lecture.

But she had other lectures yet to come. Plus he needed Nikita to stay awake.

"I'm going to put these band aids on and then we are going to Section One. I will not listen to your pitiful pleas..." Michael hissed out and Nikita moaned. Michael placed the band-aids on and then stepped back to put the coat on Nikita. She had fallen against the couch into unconsciousness again. "Nikita?"

"Mi-chael?" Nikita questioned with a groan. It was clear that she didn't remember what had just happened. "You came back?"

"Nikita... you are hurt..."

"You didn't leave me?" Nikita questioned and Michael stopped and stared at Nikita. He didn't think he left Nikita to start with. "I came back from the meeting Nikita because you got assaulted by a client..."

"Oh.... Not for me..." Nikita sadly whispered as she attempted to stand up. Michael grabbed her waist as he shook his head. He was lost with where this was all coming from.

"Everyone leaves..." Nikita whispered as her head dropped backwards. Michael cupped Nikita's head tenderly and decided to forget the jacket. His car was warm enough.

"Nikita... Nikita.. I need you to stay awake..." Michael demanded as he picked up Nikita in his arms and started to move. Her eyes snapped opened and Nikita screamed. "LET ME GO! LET ME GO! YOU BASTARD! YOU BASTARD!"

Michael continued to move. He realized that he was going to have to deal with this until he got back to Section One. His planned talk about how Nikita could talk to him about anything and his lectures about needing to open up were going to have to wait.

Now Michael had new things to worry about. He didn't now how Nikita's mind had created him leaving her, but he wanted to find out where that started and how he could stop it. Michael settled Nikita into the car and placed her seat belt on. Michael slammed the door and hurried to his side. "Nikita? Are you still with me?"

"Michael... you left..." Nikita whispered and Michael groaned as he turned the car on. "I didn't leave you.. when did you think I left you?"

"You brought me here..." Nikita sobbed out as her eyes pelted out more tears. Michael felt his entire body constrict with Nikita's words. "Where did I bring you?"

"You left me to Walter.... You left me..." Nikita sobbed out as she cried herself back to sleep. Michael knew that he should have woken Nikita back up, but the guilt stopped him. He felt that he had made the best decision for Nikita. He had brought her to the family that she had indicated that she wanted to find again. Michael was positive that he couldn't have cared for Nikita as Walter had. Michael had no reason to do that. Michael looked over to Nikita and it was as if the six years didn't happen.

He had left Nikita to Walter, running far away because he was scared. And he shut himself off just as he blamed Nikita for doing today. Michael rubbed his face with his hand as he drove on, trying to ignore why this all hurt so badly.

Because he loved her.