Friends are special when they sing together,
They can sing the whole day,
They can sing the night away,
They can sing together, they can sing.
Friends are special when they laugh together,
They can laugh the whole day,
They can laugh the night away,
They can laugh together, they can laugh.
Friends are special when they cry together,
They can cry the whole day,
They can cry the night away,
They can cry together, they can cry.
Friends are special when they dream together,
They can dream the whole day,
They can dream the night away,
They can dream together, they can dream.

Michael pushed the door open with his good arm and smiled at the tiny woman that eased her way into the room. She was petite and had long black hair. She had crystal clear skin and wore a business suit that wasn't fitted for her body, being at least a size, if not two, big. "Ms. Suret, I'm sorry about the short notice of the change."

"Please… call me Vianca. And I am quite pleased to have this moved up," Vianca spoke as she sat down. Michael was shocked when he picked up the phone and called Ms. Suret that she was home, but was thankful. She offered to come over immediately, when Michael had just hoped for tomorrow.

"If you could give me a few moments… I need to check on a few things…" Michael spoke as he pulled up his phone. Vianca politely smiled and settled into the chair as Michael sat down. "Birkoff…"

"Yes, Michael? Do you need something? I don't make very good coffee…" Birkoff rumbled out and Michael rolled his eyes.

"We are fine… I was wondering if you have checked on that flight?" Michael questioned, getting on task because he did have a candidate for the position in his office.

"Ah, yes… it got delayed… It won't be in until 8:15 this evening…" Birkoff reported. Michael stiffened, knowing that it was longer than what he wanted to stay away from Nikita. "Can you call Michele and advise her of the change in my plans?"

"Of course," Birkoff sarcastically spoke as he rolled his eyes. He hung up the phone and started to dial Michael's house immediately.

"Sorry about that… I have a friend flying in tonight whose flight has been changed several times…" Michael apologized and Vianca smirked. "That happens in Paris."

"Yes, it does," Michael commented as he pulled out a sheet of paper. "I have received your resume… and I am going to be quite honest… I've gone through a lot of possible people for this position."

"I know, the ad has been posted several times in different formats," Vianca honestly replied, showing Michael that she was at least interested in the position still. Michael nodded his head as he picked up the pen and pushed it along the length of the paper. "Must be hard with your dominant arm in a cast."

"Yes… part of the reason why we need someone with the numbers… and to sign checks… It has been difficult to explain this all to the bank," conversed Michael as he thought about how to approach this. He was hoping for God to send the perfect person, but he looked at the small and young woman, and had to wonder if she had the guts to stand up for an agency. "Why don't you tell me why you want a job with a non-profit organization?"

"That's an easy one. It's were the real work is being done… the social change…" Vianca replied with smooth words and a hint of an underlying passion. Michael perked up slightly but didn't allow Vianca to view the change. "I see you have worked with several non-profits… but not in the past several months…"

"I had differences with the program areas… it had nothing to do with what I was doing with the finances… They were going against their mission… and I like being part of something that is going somewhere…" Vianca commented effectively. Her words eased Michael's fears that there was something more behind her absence. "Plus, I did have some personal things to deal with. You can say that I know social services and non-profits not only as an employee and donator…"

"That's good… it gives you a basis in reality…" Michael commented with a nod. He looked to her resume and he had already completed the background check. "Vianca… you have probably read a lot about the Centre… and the billion dollars that Adrian had donated… I want to know what you think we should do with our accounting… how to use this money…"

"It is quite simple… I would use most of that money that is left from the renovations, to establish an endowment or foundation in order to support the Centre not only for the immediate years, but also for the decades ahead… It will give the Centre a very strong financial picture… You can use the interest off of the pooled funds every year to support new projects, open new areas… I think it gives more flexibility…" Vianca confidentially spoke. This was the answer that Michael had been seeking all along, but never got it.

"And have you done something like this before?" Michael inquired.

"On the small scale… I would arrange parents who have children with disabilities assets into an endowment in order to support that child after their parent's passed away… It was the only way to ensure continued financial support…" Vianca informed Michael. He nodded his head. It wasn't like Michael to make a decision like this without any other input, or for a sure a short interview, but he looked at Vianca and liked what he saw.

"What would you like for salary?" Michael inquired. Vianca blinked her eyes in shocked. "I really have thought about it…"

"Why don't you think about it? I want you to for this job…" Michael made his offer. Vianca nodded her head. "I should know in just a little bit…"

"I'll be in the office until about 7… unless you would like to go out for coffee and we can discuss the particulars there?" Michael offered as he stood up, picking up the folder of forms that had been waiting for him to find the perfect person.

"When would I start?" Vianca questioned.

"Is next Monday too soon?"

"I can start tomorrow," Vianca replied and Michael nodded his head. "That can easily be arranged."

~~

Davenport fiddled with the dozen roses in his arms. He looked up and down the hallway, watching the plane's exit and waiting and waiting. He had been in the airport for about three hours now, looking at the screens, finding the delay longer and longer. He tapped his foot up and down as he sat at the gate as other planes arrived.

He had spent time on the pay phones as he cell phone died, calling Michele and checking up on Nikita. He paced back and forth.

He had too much coffee.

Finally, Davenport stopped moving as he viewed Ariane pushing her way through the crowd. He started to move as she almost dashed away. "ARIANE!"

She stopped and turned to see her Davenport striding towards her, holding flowers. She dropped her carry on bag and hugged Davenport and kissed him gently. She missed him so badly, especially the past week when both of them were so busy that they didn't even get to call each other. "How did you know?"

"Your office called me… I'm so glad that you are home…" Davenport spoke as he held his hands around her neck, feasting on her face. She smiled so softly, but it warmed Davenport's body. "I never want you to leave again."

"Wow…" Ariane stammered as Davenport's statement of commitment and love was not expected at all, not that it wasn't felt in return. She pulled at Davenport's arm in order for them to find a small bench to sit on together. "I wasn't expecting to hear that…"

"I wasn't expecting to say it… but it is what I feel," Davenport admitted as he handed the flowers to her hands. Ariane laughed and looked into his eyes. "I missed you so much… I thought I knew how much until I saw you now."

"Oh, Ariane… " Davenport whispered as his lips grazed against hers, and then teased her mouth open. Her arms wrapped around his neck and they took minutes being reconnected. "Mmmm… I hope you didn't have plans for the evening…"

"I didn't schedule everything… and actually cleared out the one problem…" Davenport chuckled, knowing what Ariane was implying. He was ready for one long night with his Ariane in his arms.

"One problem? Nothing serious, I hope?" Ariane questioned and Davenport winced. He knew that he could get away from this problem and that Ariane probably should know. "Actually… this week I diagnosis Nikita with mastitis… and it has been very stubborn…"

"Oh my god… she must be in severe pain…" Ariane commented and Davenport rolled his eyes. "For about two weeks… and I actually had to give her a stronger antibiotic and an IV… but that wasn't her biggest pain…"

"Biggest pain?" Ariane whispered as she leaned in. She wasn't positive that she wanted to hear this. "I guess Michael and Nikita have had a lot of unstated problems since his accident… and that it took Belinda and Quinn getting Michele to come down for all of this to come to light… especially Nikita's illness."

"And Michael?" inquired Ariane. Again, Davenport felt that minor pang of need for Michael's confidentiality, but Davenport was sure that Ariane would hear it soon enough. "He came to me today about assisting him in his minor depression…"

"Medication?" Ariane sputtered and Davenport nodded his head. He looked around and stood up. "But we shouldn't be sitting around in the airport talking about this… when you just got back…"

"Do you have to check on them?"

"I trust Michele… and Belinda is going over tomorrow… I have to give Nikita the time to recover… and I think that Michael is working on the situation…" Davenport spoke as he took Ariane's arm and pulled her to her feet. He kissed her nose gently and then pulled back. "How?"

"He is waiting for a plane from Italy…" Davenport spoke as he looked across the hallway and down about one gate. Davenport was sure that Michael didn't even realize that he had been seen, but Davenport smiled and took Ariane home.

~~

"He doesn't love me…" Nikita cried out as she flung herself on the guest room bed. Michele was holding the IV bag as she followed Nikita. She thought that it was a good idea for Nikita to get up from the couch, but now, Michele rolled her head back in stress.

"Nikita… it isn't that. He is going to pick someone up from the airport…" Michele spoke, knowing that she had promised Michael that she wouldn't tell Nikita what he was truly up to, but right now; she wanted to slug her brother once more.

"No… I told him to leave… and he doesn't even want to work it out…" Nikita sobbed as she dropped her head down to the surface of the bed and covered her head. "He really did leave… I can't believe he did…"

"Nikita, he didn't leave. He just called maybe a half hour ago explaining that he was going to be late…" Michele urged Nikita to listen to her. She didn't like what Michael was going to be this late, but Michele knew that it was probably what was for the best.

"He doesn't care… he'll just start coming in later and later and later… until he just doesn't come home…" Nikita sobbed as she rolled onto her side and looked at Michele. "I don't think I can raise the girls by myself… I don't think I could live by myself…"

"You aren't going to have too…. I swear to you," Michele whispered, but Nikita covered her head again. Michele opened her mouth again to speak, but looked at Nikita and stopped. She wasn't going to be better until Michael came back. Michele settled in the chair and watched Nikita.

Hoping for the flight to get in early.

~~

"Walter… I don't believe we need to get involved…" Belinda declared as she pushed her hands into Walter's arms. He was huffing and puffing, trying to get his way, but Belinda wouldn't allow it to happen. Davenport and Michele had kept her updated and Belinda was sure that to sprinkle Walter into this mess, that it would cause an explosion.

"I've had heard this too long… I had to hear it through Adrian that Nikita is sick… and then I get a phone call from a pharmacy talking to me about the antidepressants that have been prescribed for Michael… Now… I think I am needed…" Walter declared as he pushed Belinda's hands off of his shoulders. Belinda then crossed her arms. "No."

"Who do you think you are?" Walter demanded and Belinda coldly allowed her eyes to close and open. She was praying that Walter would take the deep breath and realized that she was doing what was best. "Who the hell do you think you are stopping me for being there for my granddaughter and my great- grandchildren?"

"Walter… I care about them all too… but right now, they need to work this out on their own…"

"Michael is doing drugs for god sakes!" Walter shouted. Belinda licked her lips slightly, not having known about Michael's decision until Walter mentioned it, but secretly felt that it was just one step among the many in fixing this problem.

"Walter… let them be. Michele is overseeing everything right now," Belinda softly spoke, trying to lull him into something. She felt her own heart pounding wildly, wondering if she would be able to stop him at all.

"That is his family. Someone has got to protect Nikita's interests!" Walter shouted as Birkoff entered into through the back. "What's going on?"

"I'm going to see Nikita and take her away from that wild boy…" Walter declared with sharp words. Birkoff blinked his eyes. "Walter… it was Nikita today that pushed Michael away… Michael was trying to talk to her…"

"You must have your facts all mixed up, boy."

"Walter… I was there today…"

"You are too young to understand this stuff…. And you are too blinded by that sweet honey of your own to see the horrid truth… True love doesn't exist!" Walter rattled out and Belinda tilted her chin up slightly.

"Don't you love me?" Belinda questioned.

"That is entirely different!" Walter declared as his eyes stared at Belinda.

"Walter.. we've seen Michael and Nikita go through it all… and sometimes Nikita pushes Michael too… Michael is trying… give him the benefit of the doubt… because that is what Nikita would want," urged Birkoff as he stood strong, something that was not normal for Birkoff. Belinda nodded her head.

"You must not know Michael at all!" Walter declared and Birkoff dropped his head back with a heavy sigh.

"He does know Michael and he knows Nikita…" Belinda confirmed as she looked into Walter's eyes. He was angry that he hadn't been told of what was going on. He was upset that Nikita was sick and that there were problems. Walter wanted Nikita to have that Little House on the Prairie life now that she found Michael, got married, and had twins.

But that wasn't reality.

"Nikita asked Michael to get out… he is trying to mend those bridges by doing everything for Nikita… If you go storming in there now, trying to save the day, you might just push Nikita over the edge… And you don't want to lose Nikita," Belinda calmly stated as she reached out for Walter's arms. He was fighting the logic in Belinda's words, but as she looked up at him with her eyes and kissed his hands gently. "I would never lie to you about something like this… because right now, this is do or die for Michael and Nikita… but it is for them, not us. Not you."

Walter eased back, his body slacking as he moved back towards the living room. "I don't know all of what happened… I don't know if it is even our place to ever know that…"

"How could they have these problems? They love each other…" Walter questioned and Birkoff looked at Belinda. He didn't want to leave Belinda to Walter at this moment. "Michael loves her with all her heart, Walter… But Belinda knows… sometimes things happen…"

"Like accidents… and illness.. and depression," Belinda added to Birkoff's smart and wise words.

"How do I know that Michael is doing what is best?" Walter inquired, looking from Belinda to Birkoff. Birkoff nervously scuffed his shoes against each other.

"He is taking care of the problems, Walter… And he hired someone to help out with administration today.. and he'll have more time…" Birkoff started to speak, not telling all of Michael's plans.

"I just want what is best for Nikita and Cerise and Abella…" Walter said as he rubbed at his neck.

"And Michael?" Belinda's voice vibrated in the room. Walter looked up and nodded his head. "And Michael."

~~

Michele rolled her head forward, rubbing at the taunt and stressed muscles of her shoulders and neck. Nikita's sobs had slowly softened, but didn't completely stop. Michele didn't know what Nikita was thinking about. Nikita wasn't talking.

"Michele… I've made a decision," Nikita's voice suddenly broke through the air. Michele jerked her head up as the hair on her skin started to stand up on end. Michele found a lump in her throat, afraid to ask Nikita about what she was talking about. Afraid that Nikita made a decision to keep Michael out of her life in order to protect her own bruised heart. "Wh-what?"

"I don't think my body can handle or support the twins anymore… maybe tomorrow you should go buy some formula… because I can't do this…" Nikita declared and Michele shook her head back and forth.

"Now is not the time to be making these decisions…"

"I can't use the machines… I have a lousy time trying to self pump… and it will just be easier…" Nikita started to spout off reasons only to Michele shaking her head back and forth. "You don't make these kinds of decisions when you are upset and not feeling well…"

"Well… maybe if I wasn't so obsessed about breastfeeding my twins… that Michael could have been helping me feed the twins… and he would have never fallen down the stairs… and all of this wouldn't have happened…." Nikita declared and Michele blinked her eyes, trying to follow the path that Nikita's mind had just created in a whole bunch of events in the past several months.

"Breastfeeding has nothing to do with what is going on with you and Michael," chided Michele softly. She got up from the chair as she heard the noise from downstairs, knowing that Michael must be home.

Finally.

"Well… it could help us… that way I can get better… and we can have someone feed the babies… so I can be attentive to Michael…" Nikita whispered and Michele raised an eyebrow. "Do you really want to do that?"

"No…" Nikita tearfully admitted. Michele softly sighed and touched Nikita's arm. "I think you are tired… I think you aren't feeling well… and I think you need Michael…"

"I need him more than I think he knows… but no one should be so dependent on someone like that," Nikita assessed herself. Michele almost agreed, but knew that in this case, between Michael and Nikita, all the norms of society didn't apply.

"Nikita… You and Michael play by your own rules… and you get along because you two love first, and then deal with all the other things…" Michele stated as she almost jumped as the door opened.

"Kita…" Michael softly spoke as he pushed the door open. "Michael…"

"I'm sorry I'm late…" Michael gently said as he looked at Michele. She stood up and allowed Michael to sit on the foot of the bed.

"Why? You didn't want to be here? Because I told you?" Nikita questioned and Michael shook his head back and forth. "We have so much to talk about Nikita… and I want you to know that I'm willing to do anything to make everything better… but this is probably something that I should have done months ago…"

"What are you talking about?" Nikita's voice chilled, almost afraid of what Michael was talking about. Michael looked to Michele and tilted his head towards the door. Michele opened it and clapped her hands together. "What!?!"

Michele heard the frustration in Nikita's voice and finally pushed the door open and exposed Dominique as he stood there. "DOMINIQUE!"

"Oh, Nikita… I missed you…" Dominique rushed out as he moved into the room, carefully hugging Nikita as she wrapped her arms around him, forgetting about the IV line still attached. "You have to come see our twins…"

Nikita stood up, tugging on Dominique's hands. Michael stood up and looked at Nikita. "We can work this out, right?"

"Yes…" Nikita spoke as she looked at Michael. She almost leaned in for a kiss, but instead pulled Dominique into the room with the twins.

"Should you be out of bed? Michael told me how sick you are…" Dominique questioned as he followed behind Nikita. She stopped and looked at Michael. "I need to get better… I'm starting…"

"Ok…" Dominique responded as he looked over at Michael. He didn't see a vibrant Nikita that was talking, but the vision he did see was the picture that Michael had painted when he was begging Dominique to come.

Only, Michael didn't have to bed. Dominique had just been waiting for the phone call.

Nikita opened up the nursery and turned back. "Come here Michael…"

Nikita took Michael's hand in hers and moved towards the cradles. "Meet our daughters, Dominique… the one with all the air is Abella Geneva…. And the one with the fine blonde hair… and Michael's green eyes… that is Cerise Liana…"

"They are so beautiful… you two have beautiful daughters…" Dominique gushed and Nikita leaned back slightly, forgetting the tension that had been between herself and Michael. She felt his arms around her and almost started to feel better immediately. Michael turned to the side slightly, rubbing his thumb across Nikita's eyebrows, amazed with how all the fights they had, the love threaded their bodies together. "They are as beautiful as their mother."

****************

When the sun drops out of sight
And stars twinkle in the night,
When the birdies fly to rest,
There's a place I love the best:
Daddy's lap, 'cause it's my nest.
Lullaby, Lulla, lullaby.
~~ Ella D. Watkins, adapted by Terry Kluytmans

"We need to talk," Nikita stated the next morning as she walked back in from the bathroom. Michael pushed his body up from the bed and looked at Nikita. He was sore and he just wanted to snuggle back into bed with Nikita, knowing that she needed rest.

"Kita… you are still sick…" Michael pointed out and Nikita looked towards the window and then walked there. "I won't be able to relax Michael until we talk about all of this."

"To drag it all back up again?" Michael inquired. Nikita turned and shook her head. Slowly, Nikita pushed her body up onto the windowsill and almost hung her head back. She shouldn't have been out of bed>

Michael had spent most of the night awake, feeling the fever taking over Nikita's body. Although she was getting the antibiotics and seemed to feel a bit better, Nikita still looked ill and Michael just wanted to aid her in getting better. But her words did make sense.

"I want to understand, Michael… I need to understand." Nikita looked at her husband, worried that he would pull away right now. But Michael rolled to the side and pushed his body out of bed. "What about the twins?"

"I fed them… and I pumped my milk… I have to entirely drain my breasts… so Dominique should be able to take care of them until after the next feeding…" Nikita added the information that would be important for Michael to know. Nikita lifted her eyes and looked at Michael's green eyes, for the first time since he got hurt, he was again concerned about her. "I need to talk about this, Michael."

"You need rest…" Michael countered as he moved towards the rocking chair. He sat down with a slight groan from his shoulder. He looked to Nikita as she rubbed her fingers along the pajama bottoms that she was wearing. "I know, Michael… but I can rest better knowing…"

"Well… you can rest well you talk…" Michael declared, making his suggestion clear as he reached his arm out, indicating that Nikita should come sit on his lap. Nikita blinked her eyes and slid off of her perch. "But your arm…"

"If you lean on my other shoulder… we will be fine… I need to hold you…" Michael continued to hold his arm out until Nikita did move towards him. She looked at his body and eased her body into his lap, carefully avoiding all parts of her husband that were sore. "And I want to start all of this…"

"Michael? You do?"

"Yes… because I know that on some level… you blame yourself for all of this… but we have to know that this was just life… that neither of us could have stopped the accident… But I should have stopped what happened afterwards…" Michael began with a strong voice as he took in the feeling of Nikita's heartbeat. Although they had slept together in the same bed last night, Nikita had been curiously away from his body. He didn't know if that was because she was sick, if she was afraid of hurting him, or if she was afraid of getting hurt.

"Michael.. I think we both know that things got out of hand… it wasn't all your fault…" Nikita immediately pointed out as she lifted her eyes to look at him. He kissed her nose and pulled away. "But I'm willing to ease all of the guilt of the situation… if that is going to make this easier on us."

"Lies won't help… no matter how well-meaning they are," Nikita spoke with a raspy voice, a strong indicator of the onslaught of tears that moments later poured down her face. "I don't want to go down the wrong road again… and get back to that mess we were in…"

"Shhh… Kita…" Michael soothed his wife as he started to gently rock back and forth. This was a reason why he didn't want to do this now. She was sick and not feeling well. He wasn't sure if this was going to do any good for either of them. "How can I make this easier on you?"

"Easier on my?" Nikita questioned as her head picked up slightly as she stared at his eyes. Nikita pulled her pajama-clad arm over to wipe the tears off of her face. "You mean dealing with the kids and whatnot?"

"No." Michael dipped his head for a second, but knew that this had started; he might as well see how he can follow through on it. "How can I help ease your mind of your worries about what happened? How can we do this without cause more problems?"

"I have a few questions…" Nikita whispered and Michael nodded his head. "Ask away."

"Really?" Nikita stammered and Michael once more nodded his head. He rubbed his left arm up and down Nikita's side, taking a deep breath. "You need the answers."

"Why did you start to order me around?" Nikita inquired. Michael looked towards the bed and then back to Nikita. "It was different at different times…"

"Tell me all of it," Nikita instructed Michael with a soft voice. She just wanted to be supportive, even in her state of illness. Michael ached to rub his right hand against her forehead, knowing that the bangs that stuck there must be uncomfortable.

"At the beginning… it was to protect you… It was easier for me to help out by telling you what to do… and I didn't see it as orders…" Michael began, as he seemed to relax more into the chair, more comfortable with the position he had with Nikita and the feeling of her there. "Then it just got out hand… I always was so fiercely independent and you were too… I just wanted to be seen as weak…"

"Then why the tofu?" Nikita questioned and Michael winced. "I didn't know that I had gotten that bad… I can't believe I ordered you want to make for dinner… and the tofu… was because I read this article about how tofu could help aid mending bones…"

"So you weren't aware that you were ordering me to do it all?" Nikita questioned with a hint of obvious anger.

"I know that it seems like a lame excuse… but I was trapped in my own little world…" Michael spoke and Nikita leaned her head back and on his shoulder. "I knew that you were having a hard time… you just didn't seem to see me anymore, Michael."

"I took advantage of you so much… I didn't even know it until we started fighting, until Michele slapped me… and until I heard how sick you were…" Michael stated as his voice cracked in emotion of thinking of what happened when he heard that Nikita was sick.

"Who told you that I was sick? Davenport?"

"No… Michele," Michael immediately responded as he blinked his eyes. His eyes were turning stormy gray and Nikita took in a shaky breath. "And I started to panic…"

"Panic?" Nikita's voice echoed the nervousness that Michael felt fluttering around his heart. He nodded his head stiffly up and down, knowing that he never wanted to feel like that again.

"I had a panic attack… because I can't live without you… and maybe it did take hearing that you were sick… to know that I needed a lot more than just food and shelter…" Michael spoke very slowly, his mind flashing back to how he felt when he couldn't get control of himself, of how George had to help him sit back down, and now cold Michele had been.

"More?"

"I needed you… and our daughters…" Michael admitted and Nikita nodded her head as she saw the tears in Michael's eyes. Nikita reached up with her long fingers and wiped them away. "And I needed help to get it all back."

"Michele helped you," Nikita stated and Michael shook his head. "No… Michele made me pay for what I had done to you… I was in a full blown panic attack… and she was protecting you."

"I didn't ask her to come, Michael… I didn't want her to come…" Nikita immediately spouted as she worried that Michael hated that his own sister had sided with his wife. Michael shook his head back and forth. "It was needed… because enough though I love you with all my heart… more had to be done so I could see what I was doing… Michele provided that strong voice."

"And slap?" Nikita questioned and Michael nodded his head before turning his head to the side, unsure if he could continue, or if he should even continue right now.

Nikita leaned against his shoulder, pressing her lips gently against his neck, before shifting her legs, making sure not to hurt Michael in any way. She left his racing pulse and knew that there was more there that Michael hadn't spoken yet about. "Michael… what kind of help?"

"With myself…" Michael hoarsely replied as he blinked his eyes, finding it difficult that he still had tears to be drained. He couldn't face his wife as he stared away from her, ashamed of what he had become.

"Nikita… the injury… scared me so badly… scared me that I would die and lose all of you… or that something bad could have happened to Abella… so I pulled away… and put up a big stone wall… but it was supported on something worse."

"On what?" Nikita's words questioned moments later, not wanting to push Michael, knowing that he was going at his own rate for a reason. His heart thumped at Nikita's words, his soul telling him to tell Nikita everything.

"Depression…" Michael spoke and Nikita closed her eyes. She had been so busy being everything for her family that she had lost the therapist. She had seen depression in herself, but she hadn't seen the signs in Michael. "I should have seen it, Michael…"

"No… you couldn't…. I didn't allow you access to that part of me… That's why I pushed you and I stayed away… and I didn't want others around… because if they were there helping… they would have seen it… and I felt that I deserved to feel and be so bad…"

"Nikita…" Michael stopped her from speaking. "I am in a depression. And I am taking medicine now… and seeing George…"

"Medication?" Nikita questioned and Michael nodded his head. Nikita dropped her head. "I should have caught this… I'm a therapist!"

"It would have never happened, Nikita… I didn't want to see you… and I didn't want you to see it either… But I'm going to get better…" Michael spoke as he rubbed his hand slowly up and down her side. Nikita took in a breath and swallowed, falling back onto something she noticed about a week again.

Her own depression. Nikita found it difficult to enjoy anything, even when her daughters were exploring something new for the first time. Nikita, although at times grossed out by Michael's choices for dinner, wasn't eating as well as she could and has been eating. Her sleep was limited and fitful. She hadn't slept a full night in bed since Michael arrived home. She felt wrong for feeling guilty. The energy she thought she had has vanished into thin air, with no traces left. It was a struggle sometimes to even find the strength to go upstairs when the twins were crying. She had terrible headaches, more frequently now than ever before. She was sure that she wasn't enough for Michael and the twins that somewhere, she was failing at everything. And she wasn't sure that this was ever going to be rectified.

"If you are depressed and on medication… then I am depressed and should be treated too…" Nikita stumbled out minutes later. Michael turned and looked into Nikita's eyes that were being hidden by a veil of hair. "I don't believe that, Nikita…"

"Michael… I have all symptoms… I've had them for a while…" Nikita trembled as her words were hesitant and without strength.

"You had them because of me…" Michael declared and Nikita shook her head. "I haven't slept well…"

"You have twins."

"I don't eat well.. and I don't feel like eating…" Nikita commented. Michael kissed her nose gently, teasing Nikita to look up at him.

"You are sick. You have twins."

"I have headaches… and I have no energy…" Nikita continued and then stopped as Michael kissed her cheek and then slid his mouth down to hers.

"You were taking care of me… and I never wanted to hurt you like this… never…" Michael whispered as he pulled away. Nikita leaned her head back with a heavy sigh. Michael continued to rock the rocker back and forth as Nikita closed her eyes. "I'm just glad to be back in your arms… next to you… I really need you Michael…"

"And I need you," Michael declared as he looked at Nikita. She was ready to drift back to sleep and that was what she needed. "Close your eyes…"

"We are supposed to be talking about this…" Nikita commented as she allowed her eyes to flutter close for a few moments, but snapped them back open.

"We have… now we have to move on… take the help that we both need… and we both need to get better…" Michael instructed Nikita with a tender voice that Nikita was so glad to hear once more. "Shh… now close your eyes… you are to be getting rest…"

"Michael…" Nikita whispered as she snuggled down into his arms. Michele poked the door open to see how Michael and Nikita were, although she had the feeling that they were doing much better now. She was going to stay one more day, but now that Dominique was here, she was leaving in just a few moments.

And she wasn't going to interrupt to say goodbye.

~~

"How are you feeling, Nikita?" Dominique questioned the next morning as he pulled out a tray of cookies out of the oven and moved towards the sink. He started to ease each one off and placed them on a cooling rack. Nikita pulled out a chair and sunk into it. Michael had went to work in order to help Vianca get used to the Centre and start the process of giving her the bills and the finances to deal with. He would be back in the early afternoon.

"Like a moose ran me over," Nikita stated as she attempted to smile. Dominique turned and looked at her, feeling for Nikita. Her fever had been lingering, much lower than before, but still there. And he heard Nikita crying well feeding the babies; he knew that she still had the pain.

"Is there anything that I can do? Do you want something to eat?" Dominique questioned, knowing that coaxing Nikita into eating was a big issue. Nikita swung her head back and forth and Dominique pulled out a glass and headed towards the refrigerator. "You haven't had anything all morning…"

"I don't feel like it," Nikita struggled to get Dominique to hear her, but she watched as Dominique pulled out a banana, orange juice, milk, and some ice cream. "You are going to have this milk smoothie… because you need something to sustain your body on."

Nikita shook her head as Dominique quickly threw the ingredients into the blender. "This isn't what I want."

"What?" Dominique questioned, although he clearly heard what Nikita was saying. He continued to blend the ingredients and then poured the liquid into the glass.

"I wanted something else."

"To eat?" Dominique inquired as he placed the glass in front of Nikita. He then turned and pulled one of the cookies off of the cooling rack and placed it in front of Nikita.

"No… But I would love to talk to you… We haven't really had time, Dom…" Nikita responded as she leaned deeply back into the chair. Dominique stopped and looked at Nikita. "We've talked about Abella and Cerise…"

"You know that isn't what I'm asking for here… We can talk about the twins anytime," Nikita declared as she took a bite of the cookie. Dominique considered Nikita's words and knew that he may be able to get Nikita to eat a few more cookies and most of the smoothie if he talked to her as she wanted.

"Ok… Ok… but I do have to get ready for our late lunch with Michael… and you will need your nap…" Dominique caved in as he pulled the towel out of his pants and put several more cookies onto a plate and placed them in the middle of the table, hoping that Nikita would continue to eat.

"I wonder why we never heard from you…" Nikita stated, diving right into the tough issues. Dominique pressed his lips together and took one deep breath. He didn't expect this question so soon.

"It was a hard time, Nikita… I lost my mother… I had no family that would take me in…" Dominique softly replied as he pushed the plate gently towards Nikita. She picked up the glass and took a small sip as she batted her blue eyes.

"And Antonio?" Nikita inquired.

Dominique closed his eyes, knowing that part of the reason he was in France right now with Michael and Nikita was to get over all of this.

"He decided to stay on in Tokyo for a bit longer…" Dominique stated and Nikita rubbed at her neck, looking exhausted and like she should be in bed and not talking to her.

"Are you two over?"

"I think so… we haven't really talked about it…" Dominique spoke as his voice became soft. "But it isn't because I wanted it to be over…"

"Does he know where you are?" Nikita inquired, concerned that if Antonio would come after Dominique, that they would miss because Dominique was staying with them. "I called his secretary… he knows where I am."

"Do you want him to call?" Nikita questioned as her fingers snuck up onto the second cookie, only breaking off part of it before pulling it to her mouth. Dominique rolled his shoulders back and settled into the chair. "I want to work on me… It has been hard…"

"Is that why you decided not to come back here?" Nikita questioned as she stiffened in the chair. "I don't want you here if Michael threatened you or if you want to be somewhere else…"

"I want to be here… and Michael didn't have to threaten me…" Dominique spoke and Nikita wrinkled her eyebrows up slightly. "Then why didn't you come back?"

"I didn't know if you wanted me back… I needed to hear that I was needed… I know that it sounds childish… but I needed to know that you liked me as a person enough to be near your twins…" Dominique slowly spoke and Nikita swallowed before she sipped more of the smoothie. Dominique had given up all ways of monitoring what Nikita was eating as he was speaking about things that were about his life and his emotions.

"You thought that we didn't want you around our twins?" Nikita questioned, showing that she thought the thought was ridiculous.

"Not just me… I thought that you may not want a homosexual man near your twins…" Dominique stated and Nikita looked at Dominique bowed his head in shame. "I know… you, Nikita… I know Michael… but after being home… I was back in a world that didn't accept me…"

"I know that you would never hurt my children, Dominique… and for the record, we didn't want to push you… because you were dealing with your mother's death…" Nikita compassionately spoke as she reached out for his hand. He looked up into Nikita's eyes as he saw and felt the warmth that Nikita had for him.

"And I don't want you to think you are slave here… you deserve to go out… and be in a city that has so many possibilities…"

"You don't know, do you?" Dominique mused as a smile came to his face as he realized that Walter never betrayed his promise to him and Mick. Things had gotten so crazy after that night that Dominique had just assumed that Nikita would be told what happened.

"I don't know what?" Nikita questioned and Dominique pressed his lips together. He could play this off like it was nothing, and continue the lie, or he could tell the truth, although with Nikita, he didn't think that she would be worried or upset at all.

"On Thanksgiving… when me and Mick went out to the town… we got really drunk…" Dominique spoke and Nikita nodded her head. "I know… Walter brought you home."

"He didn't just bring us home because we were drunk…" Dominique admitted as he rubbed his hands back and forth, not knowing what Mick would do it he told on them. But he looked at Nikita and knew that she should know, because he cared and tended Abella and Cerise. "We got arrested for being very very drunk… Walter bailed us out…"

"Oh my…" Nikita giggled as she covered her mouth. "Walter must have been so upset!"

"You aren't?" Dominique questioned and Nikita shook her head back and forth. "I'm just glad that you called Walter… Michael would have pounded you two a few…"

"Oh Nikita…" Dominique spoke as he released all the tension he had. "I'm so glad to be back."

"I'm glad that you are back too."

*********************

Go to bed early -- wake up with joy;
Go to bed late -- cross girl or boy.
Go to bed early -- ready for play;
Go to bed late -- moping all day.
Go to bed early -- no pains or ills;
Go to bed late -- doctors and pills.
Go to bed early -- grow very tall.
Go to bed late -- stay very small.

Michael pulled the door open and saw Dominique walk down the hallway; shocked that Michael was back so soon. "Something wrong?"

"No… something very right," Michael stated as he started to pull off the jacket. Dominique moved over and helped Michael and hung up the coat on the coat rack. "Right? How?"

"I hired a wiz as a financial officer… and I get to come home… and be with my wife and children," Michael gushed and Dominique smiled as he started to walk back towards the kitchen. "Well… Nikita is upstairs feeding the girls… She is a little late in eating lunch… Will you be eating too?"

"Well… I had that sandwich and if I continue to eat at this rate with no exercise… I'm going to have to go on a diet soon," Michael laughed gently as he used his left hand to pull out a glass and then moved to the refrigerator. He settled the glass down and then opened the door. Since Nikita got sick and all of the issues came to a head, Michael started to do a lot more for himself. "Do you want help?"

Michael stared at the objects in the refrigerator, seeing that it was quite packed and that it would be difficult to move things to get to what he wanted. "I was going for that peanut tofu drink…"

"You still insist on drinking that?" Dominique questioned as he moved the few dishes out of the way and then poured Michael a glass. Michael nodded his head as he sipped at it.

He didn't drink it because he liked it.

"Tell me how Nikita is doing today. Last night I could swear that the fever was getting worse," Michael stated and Dominique pressed his lips together. He had the same feeling today. "She is much slower."

"I don't know about this… I worry about this… it is taking a longer time than what Davenport suggested it would take," Michael spoke as he turned and leaned against the countertop. He wanted to stop by and talk to Davenport about it today, but Davenport was in the middle of a few days off. Birkoff was the one that had picked Michael up and then Quinn drove him back home.

"Maybe she needs to be taken to a doctor…" Dominique stated with a shrug of his shoulders. He didn't know all the medical stuff, but he knew when Nikita looked exhausted. And she looked more than exhausted, and she was getting the help around the house.

"Well… maybe it is just a bad day…" Michael commented after he finished off the entire drink. He handed the glass over to Dominique, who rinsed it and then offered Michael the glass of water. Michael humbly took the glass of water and drank it down, getting rid of the aftertaste. "I better go upstairs and see my wife and children…"

"Ok… and make sure that Nikita is pumping after feeding…" Dominique pointed out. Michael nodded his head as he moved towards the stairs, leaving the comment that he was mostly the pump of choice for Nikita unsaid.

Michael could hear Nikita's attempts to muffling her pain as she fed before he reached the top of the stairs, which was a bad indication. Two nights ago, it appeared as if the pain had eased, but yesterday it had come back with revenge in mind. Michael eased his way into their bedroom and watched as Nikita leaned against the headboard, supporting Abella as the tears rolled down her face.

Still she smiled when she saw Michael.

"You are home early…" Nikita commented as she shifted and groaned in pain. Abella of late wouldn't eat if her face were exposed, so Nikita carefully had her shirt over her daughter's face. Nikita had expressed how much she disliked this, especially since Dominique had to mimic the posture when he would use the bottle to feed Abella.

"Yeah… I wanted to spend sometime with you and the girls…" Michael commented as he looked over to the crib that had been wheeled into the bedroom for the day at Cerise as she waved her father. "Hello darling…"

Nikita grunted with pain as she finally eased Abella from her nipple, and placed her up on her shoulder, hoping at the burp wouldn't be long. Michael turned and looked at Nikita. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I'm never going to get better…" Nikita murmured and Michael frowned. "Are you going to need to pump?"

"Would you like to help? I don't think I have it in me…" Nikita offered and Michael nodded his head. He moved to the dresser and looked at the containers and then shivered. "Do you think we should call Davenport about the fever coming back?"

"I have an infection Michael. The fever is a sign that the body is fighting it," Nikita's voice strained out, as if she had said this to someone earlier today. Michael looked into the mirror and realized that Dominique probably asked her the same question probably before she set forth to feed the girls.

"I know… but it has gotten fairly high again…" Michael stated.

"This morning it was high.. about 101… but I'm down to 99…" Nikita stated as she looked up at Michael. He turned and looked at her peeked face and didn't quite buy it.

"I'm worried," Michael informed Nikita. She merely bobbed her head up and down as she eased her feet to the ground to take Abella to the crib. Cerise had been close to drifting off and Nikita hoped that both girls would take their nap now. "It's ok to worry… Now are you going to help?"

Michael nodded his head as he picked up the rather large bowl, knowing that it was easier with this, due to the odd position that both of them had to take. Michael hitched his hip onto the bed and watched as Nikita nestled her body up and then took the dish out of his hand. "Am I still softer than the machine?"

"Oh god yes…" Nikita whispered and Michael gently smiled. His hand cupped Nikita's breast and his fingertips were given the gift of the dewy milk. He wrapped his fingers around the nipple and gently started to pull and nudge, bringing the milk forth and out of Nikita's breast.

But Nikita was in pain.

Michael leaned his head back, hearing Nikita groan in pain and he felt her entire body vibrate when a few of the shots were threatening to take over her controlled groans into screams of pain. Michael looked towards the window and swallowed. "Is there something I can do? Something we can talk about?"

"I tried the hot compresses before feeding… I think it made it worse," Nikita struggled to say between the tears and the gasping breathes of air needed to deal with her physical pain. Michael was shook by Nikita's words, hearing the pain so clearly expressed in each word.

"Is the swelling going down?" Michael questioned as he slowly moved his fingers, hoping to find a way to ease Nikita's pain. He didn't think he felt any of the swelling going down, in fact, when Nikita's breast should have been getting softer, it appeared rock hard. Michael closed his eyes, not wanting to think that the infection was getting worse.

"No…" Nikita stated as she shifted, pulling the shirt off of her chest and over her head. Michael glanced down and then pulled his hand away. Nikita turned her head up and looked at Michael. "What?"

"You have lines coming from the redness Nikita…" Michael spoke softly as he knew that he needed to get Davenport back here immediately, if not get Nikita to a hospital. "What? What are you talking about?" Michael shifted his hand around and watched as Nikita viewed her breast and turned her head to the side.

"Those aren't lines…"

"Nikita… this could be blood poisoning… another infection occurring because of this infection…" Michael warned and Nikita swallowed as the tears dripped down her face and back into her mouth… "No… No…"

"DOMINIQUE!" Michael shouted and Nikita rolled onto her back, looking at Michael. "We'll get another opinion.

"I don't want him to see me!" Nikita declared as she crossed her arms over her breasts, but with pain. Michael looked at her and fluffed her hair, trying to reach her. "Nikita… If I'm overprotective right now… it is because I need you for my entire life… and our children need you…"

"Please Michael… just one more day… I'm getting better," Nikita attempted and Michael swung his head from side to side as he bent to the side and grabbed the shirt that Nikita had tossed off of her and pulled it back. "I'll just show him the redness and the lines."

"There are no lines!" Nikita angrily huffed, but Michael knew that this was just denial of what was going on.

"Michael? Do you need something?" Dominique politely questioned through the door without opening it. Michael looked at Nikita with his green orbs shining back to her the concern he really had about this.

"Dominique… please come in… we need a second opinion…"

Dominique pushed the door opened and offered a half smile but it immediately faded as he saw Nikita turning her head away and the rush of tears. He had seen her after she fed and pumped the remainder of the milk out of breasts, and it was often in this sort of pain. Two days had been enough for Dominique to wish that this were all over. "What?"

"Do you think these are lines?" Michael pointed to the spot of Nikita's breast that he exposed, but he kept Nikita's nipple and other breast cover. Dominique craned his neck and then opened his mouth as he saw what Michael saw. "I'm going to call Davenport…"

"You think….." Michael trailed off and didn't even question as Dominique nodded his head. Michael sighed as Nikita pulled her legs up and rolled onto her other side. "I just want to be better… I want to be a wife and mother again…"

"Nikita… honestly… how bad do you hurt?" Michael questioned as Dominique backed away from Michael and Nikita, but didn't leave the room yet. Nikita shivered and crossed her chest once more with her arms.

"This hurts… worse than childbirth Michael… it never eases…" Michael looked and Dominique, nodding his approval for Dominique to call Davenport. "You may need his home number."

"Or his cell phone… I have them on the refrigerator…" Dominique finished Michael's sentence before turning and rushing down the stairs. Michael rocked Nikita back and forth and eased away slightly. "I should get you something to help with the fever."

"You'll melt your cast," Nikita warned with soft words. Michael looked at her and then leaned away from her. "You should rest.

But Nikita had already succumbed to the darkness.

~~

"Mmm… you have been in such a playful mood…" Ariane whispered as she looked at the can of whipped cream that Davenport was shaking slowly, up and down. It had been fun since she got back into town and she was more than satisfied with Davenport's plans and performances.

"So you did like the sundae?" Davenport questioned and Ariane nodded her head. "I do need to get new sheets… it seems that we only destroy my apartment… and keep yours clean…"

"We only visit my place once a week… Sometimes I wonder why I even have one…" Davenport stated as he popped the cap from the whipped cream and squirted some onto his fingers. He licked them off and his dark black eyes twinkled back at Ariane. "I know that you wished it was you that I was licking."

"You know that?" Ariane playfully taunted her husband.

"Yes."

"Prove it," Ariane spoke as she leaned against her countertop. Davenport dropped the can of whipped cream and moved to surround her. He eased his way underneath her nightshirt and found his fingers between her legs. "You aren't wearing underwear."

"It conserves time."

"Mmm… and you are wet… proof…" Davenport declared and Ariane nodded her head as she trapped his hand there, rubbing her gently. He bowed his head in for a kiss as his cell phone began to play. "How many people have that number?"

"Only one…" Davenport winced as he pulled away, knowing that he had to take this. He turned to the side briefly to wash off his hands, and then pulled the cell phone to his ear. "Hello?"

"Davenport… it's me, Dominique… We need you here now…" Dominique rushed out with a sigh. He had tried two other places first before the cell phone, knowing that Davenport was probably catching up on some much-needed personal time.

"Why?" Dominique questioned as Ariane leaned over and started to nibble on his free earlobe.

"Nikita has gotten worse… she is in more pain… and the redness has gotten deeper and she has lines running up her chest," Dominique reported as Michael entered the kitchen with the portable phone in his hand and got onto the line.

"We need you here," Michael added as Davenport pushed Ariane away slightly, needing to get his doctor hat to deal with this conversation.

"What kind of lines?" Davenport questioned and Ariane pulled away, her own doctor's hat plunging back on by the question.

"They are red… running up…" Michael spoke with the answer. Dominique stood there and listened.

"Are they near or around any of the veins that you can see?" Davenport questioned and Ariane shook her head. She moved into the other room, gathering something to wear. It was time that she was brought in on this case.

"The main one…" Michael barely got out. Dominique looked over at Michael as it was clear that Michael was doing this because Nikita was very very bad. He wanted to be near his wife. "And I think her fever has increased."

"And the pain?" Davenport questioned as he blinked his eyes, seeing that Ariane had already slipped into jeans and a sweater and carried him a pair of jeans.

"She said that it was worse than labor," Michael reported and Davenport whistled. "I'll be over…"

"You mean she doesn't need to go to a hospital?" Dominique questioned, shocked about this.

"I want to assess what is going on… Going to a hospital may happen… but I'd rather avoid the swarm of press…" Davenport spoke as he grabbed the jeans from Ariane's extended hands. "I'll be there shortly…" Davenport hung up the phone and found Ariane shaking her head. "I'll be there shortly… you will be later…"

"What are you talking about?" Davenport questioned and Ariane blinked her eyes. "You've waited too long on this.. I'm going to go and hope to god that Nikita doesn't have an abscess, because that will definitely mean the hospital and surgery…."

"I know that!" Davenport angrily hissed as Ariane was criticizing his work as a doctor.

"Look, Dav… I know that things about this that you don't know…" Ariane commented and Davenport turned his head to the side. "She was getting better… the fever had dropped…"

"And now she might have blood poisoning too… not a good combination…" Ariane stated as she clapped her hands together. "I'm not blaming you… you know that Nikita is a complicated woman… What I need you to do is to go to the Centre and get the ultrasound machine… because if there is no abscess… I need to get these blocks broken…"

"Fine," Davenport declared as he pulled away. Ariane pulled him and looked at him. "Dav… I didn't mean anything at all… Please…"

"I know… I know… I just hate when things go wrong…"

"Especially when they go wrong when you are about to have your way with me in the kitchen," Ariane added quickly as she turned and sprinted out of the house. Davenport looked after her, and shook his head.

She was so right.

~~

"Ok… Nikita… we are going to kick this out of your system…" Ariane stated as she covered Nikita once more. She checked the IV location and made sure that it was flowing into Nikita's body. Michael sat in the chair not far, never leaving Nikita's side.

"How?" Michael questioned proactively, knowing that Nikita right now was lingering between sleep and awake, probably not even in the condition to ask the questions herself.

"Well.. Dav will be here with the ultrasound machine… I'll give her treatments to both breasts to break open those infected and blocked milk ducts…" Ariane reported and Michael nodded his head. Ariane had instantly given Nikita a stronger antibiotic as soon as she saw her. Michael knew that Ariane was very concerned. "How often?"

"I can do one every few hours… it's not traditional… but I think Nikita is ill enough to allow me to do at least three treatments today… Hopefully that is all that will be needed…" Ariane reported and Michael swallowed. "But there is no abscess?"

"No… if there was, I would be calling for an ambulance," Ariane bluntly replied as she eased away as Nikita rolled her head to the side.

"Will it hurt?" Nikita questioned.

"Will what?" Ariane inquired, not sure what Nikita was talking about. Nikita pressed her lips together and gently laughed at Ariane's short-term memory. "The ultrasound…"

"No… it may even make you feel better… And I'll be giving it to you… so you can tell me what feels good…" Ariane spoke as she stroked Nikita's forehead. She wasn't going to leave tonight until Nikita's fever broke. It was weakening Nikita and it had gone on for too long.

"How long until she is better?" Michael inquired as he stood up and moved towards the door. Dominique had moved the twins back to their room, but they were now crying. Michael was going to aid in that.

"Hopefully there will be a remarkable improvement between now and this time tomorrow… and with you and Dominique taking care of Nikita… I would say that Nikita would start feeling more like herself in a week… But we do have to monitor this…"

"Ok…" Nikita's voice caved in with a whisper. Ariane smiled and knew that maybe part of the reason why Nikita didn't ask more questions or tell more people who badly she felt was because she wasn't there. Ariane sat down on the bed and looked at Michael. "If you see Davenport… send him in."

~~

"Are you sure that you want them in here? You are to be resting…" Michael whispered to his wife, as she was relaxed on the bed, rolled onto one of her sides as Dominique settled the girls back into the main guest room. Nikita nodded her head up and down as she was close to sleep, as where the twins.

"Yes… I need to see them…" Nikita whispered. She hadn't fed them the rest of the day, as Ariane helped Nikita pump her breasts and then Dominique and Davenport fed the twins. Ariane and Davenport were asleep in the den downstairs, knowing that Nikita had made progress through the four treatments of ultrasound and progressive and aggressive medications that both swore would not adversely bother the girls.

"I'm going to go settle down…" Dominique whispered to Michael as he eased out of the room and silently closed the door. Michael pulled the chair that he had sat in during the day in between the cradle and the bed. He knew that if the girls would cry now, that Nikita would get up, even though she had been told to take it easy for at least two days. Nikita looked at Michael and smiled. "Can you tell us a story?"

"Oh, Nikita… I think all three of my ladies are ready to go to sleep…" Michael's voice gently lulled. He was hoping that she would fall asleep. Nikita allowed a chuckle out and looked over to her girls. They were about to be asleep, but she liked the idea of a story. "Please, Michael… we haven't heard one in a long time.."

"Are you requesting for yourself or for all three of you?" Michael joked gently as he reached his left hand out and turned off more of the lights. Now there was only a gently light casting a dim brown light through the room. Nikita leaned her head heavier into the pillow, but her eyes looked up at Michael as she continued to smile. She was determined. "You always have the best stories…"

"I've told them all… I have no more…" Michael gently spoke with a smile crossing his face. He loved telling the stories of his childhood and how he used to entertain Michele with them, but as the years had gone by, he only remembered the ones that had meant a lot to him. He had on many occasions meant to get some books out to jog his memory, but never had the time.

"Then make one up…" Nikita softly whispered as her eyes wiggled down lower. Michael sighed and knew that Nikita would easily drift off to sleep if he would give into her request, that his voice would help her relax all of the parts of her that still hurt and ached.

"Ok… but no promises on this being good…" Michael warned as he leaned onto his left side in the side and touched Nikita's hair gently. He loved her so much that he would tell stories every night of the rest of his life to make her happy.

"Once upon a time… where dragons and fairies met on the street, there was a small princess with long beautiful blonde hair… She was the sweetest and happiest of the people in the village of Yennti… and she contained all the magic of the village…" Michael started to whisper as his mind created the scenario.

"She lived in a nice house.. with toys and gifts of gold… with her mother and a grandfather…. But one day… the evil guards of Stenguard came into the village… and ran off with the young princess… and her mother could live without her… and went out in the world searching for the young princess… and left the grandfather behind in the village of Yennti… but it has lost the magic that the young princess had… and so the dragons and fairies, and all the people of the village, starting to fight with each other… and there was no peace no more…" Michael drifted his voice gently as his eyes looked over at his daughters and then back to Nikita, whom he thought had finally drifted to sleep.

"More…" Nikita whispered and Michael sighed as he smiled. Nikita hadn't even opened her eyes, but she was listening. He stroked her hair more, knowing that he was telling this story for Nikita alone.

"Well… the young princess didn't like the castle in Stenguard… and when she got just a few years older.. she covered all of her blonde hair underneath a cap… and ran far away… never telling anyone that she was the missing princess from Yennti…" Michael continued as he closed his eyes briefly, knowing exactly where this "fairytale" was drawing a lot of its parts from.

"The young princess found herself in Fundi… a village across a large lake from Yennti… and she was struggling to find shelter in the night and food in the day. She ducked and hid from everyone. The dragons would pick on her and the fairies would make fun of her…. And one day, she was running from a mean old dragon for stealing one slice of bread, her first food of a time longer than a week, when she jumped over a tree and ran straight into the body of a brooding man."

"She landed with a loud thud… and the man looked down and then saw the charging dragon. He lifted his arm and the dragon scurried away, knowing only trouble came when dealing with this man. "Who are you?" the man questioned the girl as she crawled along the ground, trying to find the cap. He thought he had seen her before, but she was a beautiful woman now, but didn't have the clothes to match the beauty of her hair and face," Michael looked down at Nikita's features, sure that she was asleep, but now he wanted to finish the story.

"She wouldn't give her name, as it was something she rarely heard… He helped her up and asked her to come with him. "To where?" she questioned. "To my castle… for I am the king of Fundi…" the brooding man responded. The princess looked at him, but soon found herself walking behind him simply in the need of shelter and food."

"Once in the castle, the princess didn't see the king for several days. She gathered up new clothes that fit her body and a new hat, ready to steal away once more, and as she entered the garden, about to slip back into the darkness, he blocked her path. "Where do you think you are going?" He questioned as he reached out and pulled the hat off of her head, allowing the blonde tresses to fall down past her shoulders. She stared with her blue eyes back at him and he knew that he couldn't let her ever go." Michael shuddered for a moment and glanced over his shoulder at his twins. Cerise looked so much like Nikita it was almost eerie.

"The princess was shocked and began to cry. "Why do you cry woman?" the king questioned and she looked up at him and began to tell her story, of being taken and lost in the world. He dried her tears and said that he could take her back to her home, that her village was waiting for her return and that it was only across the river. The king had never been a kind and generous man, especially of the past several years as he had lost his own family. He took her to the lake and crossed over with her by himself." Michael looked at Nikita and gently smiled.

He loved his life.

"And the King returned the princess to her grandfather, who announced to the entire village of Yennti that she was back, and the dragons and the fairies stopped and turned to look up into the castle to see the beautiful woman that had returned, and the peace that had once been there while she was a child, was restored."

"The now Queen stayed in Yennti and the King of Fundi went back to his village. And for several years, they thought about the other longingly, but never spoke of it to anyone. The Queen's grandfather would find her at the highest window of the palace, looking out over the lake, looking for something. And the King would find himself staring out to Yennti, wanting to cross over again, to just see her face once more…"

Michael shifted in the chair and knew that he could stop now and snuggle down into bed with his wife, but he gently smiled at the peace he found in this moment, allowing his voice to sooth both his wife and daughters.

"The one day… there was a terrible storm, and it lasted for eighty four days. The ground shook and the lake flooded, leaving water and wood everywhere. The King looked out and sighed, knowing that a storm like this one had taken his entire family away and made the village of Fundi, a sad place to be, although royal with history and tradition. And he walked out onto that patio and looked out towards Yennti, knowing that he couldn't let her go. He ran out of the palace and got onto the boat and stroked his way to the shores of Yennti. The people in the village were cleaning up as this man, a hero, arrived once more. He had brought back the princess and made her queen, now they wondered if he was here to collect the prize. He didn't listen to the whisperings and made his way to the door. "Queen.. please let me in…" He called out. He worried about how her palace had last the storm and prayed that she was fine."

"She opened the door with a smile on her face, seeing the man that had saved her life and then haunted her dreams. "Why do you knock so loudly?" She questioned him. He looked at her and reached out with his hand, allowing his thumb to graze her cheek gently. "Because I care so much about you." The sun broke out gloriously and the earth vibrated in jubilation. The grandfather rushed over and clapped his hand over the King's back. "You have broken it!" the grandfather proclaimed. "Broken what?" the king questioned as he wrapped his body closer to the Queen that he needed to be with forever. The grandfather reached out and guided the two to the edge of the castle, where the water in the lake used to lap against it, but now, there was just a long patio that attached itself to the castle that had been the King's. "Years and years ago… the kingdom was broken in two… by two families, each taking half of the palace and placing a lake between the two… each had part of the magic, and knew that if the magic was combined together once more… that the kingdom would be reunited… And you two… have done it!" The grandfather proclaimed. He turned and looked at his granddaughter as she kissed the king, knowing that all the magic in the world didn't matter when she had love. And the villages of Fundi and Yennti lived happily every after…"

**********************

Dance to your Daddy,
My little babby,
Dance to your Daddy,
My little lamb.
You shall have a fishy
In a little dishy,
You shall have a fishy
When the boat comes in.

"And the leaf floated out to sea with the tide, with the promise of the fair woman Gillian and the dark haired man Jacob. But they did not need to write that promise on a scroll and place it out onto the sea. For the many nights that they spent together, riding the sea on the small piece of wood, taking turns being in and out of the water, and watching the stars at night, wondering if they would find land and home very again, made them together forever. Because they found home within each other. The End." Michael spoke as he looked down at his daughters as they slumbered again. He turned to see his beaming wife, looking healthier than she did four days ago. "Better?"

"I could listen to your stories all day and all night," Nikita whispered as she turned hr head slightly. It was like she had found herself imaging Michael's words and that she could see them with her mind's eye. Michael reached over and touched her shoulder. "I meant, do you feel better?"

"Yes. Much better. I can breast feed without crying," Nikita stated with a laugh as she shifted in the bed. For the past four days she had been pampered by Michael and Dominique, and would have felt smothered if Michael hadn't been such hard work for the past several weeks. Nikita curled her legs up against her body and leaned her head to the side. "I think you should tape record yourself… You could write a better fairytale that what I sometimes read from books…"

"And it would sell just because my name is on it Nikita… I will not exploit people like that," Michael stated and Nikita shrugged her shoulders. "Then do it only for our girls… so they can have these stories when they are older… when they can understand what you are telling them…"

"I'll think about it," Michael stated as the doorbell rang. Nikita leaned up and kissed her husband. "You don't need to come back early…"

"You are still to be resting…" Michael warned and Nikita gently giggled. "I feel fine…"

"But that doesn't mean that you are all better, Kita… I don't want you to relapse."

"How can I relapse with everyone watching me?" Nikita countered as she dropped her feet to the ground and then licked her lips. "Don't you have a meeting?"

"I'm meeting with George…" Michael shuddered as he looked at Nikita. He felt so much better, but he knew that he had a long way to go yet. He had canceled his time with George two days ago because Nikita back then wasn't doing this good. "Well… you don't have to rush through work… later today Mick is coming over to work on the event… I think he has a lot planned and I have to check it out…"

"You let Mick control it?" Michael questioned and Nikita rolled her eyes. "Do you think in the past two weeks I had much control over anything?"

"Point taken…" Michael mumbled out as he looked at Nikita. It was a beautiful spring day and he ached to be with Nikita. She stated that she wouldn't use the new stroller until Michael would go out for a while with her and the babies, and Michael hoped that it would be tonight. "I love you." Michael placed the gentle kiss on Nikita's lips and groaned as she opened her mouth and nudged at his, making the tender kiss, hot and passionate. "Have a good day."

"Sure," Michael muttered as he pulled away, dancing around slightly, controlling his natural reaction to Nikita's kiss and then moving out of the room. Nikita went to the window and watched as Birkoff opened the door for Michael and settled him into the car.

They had come so far, but there was very far still to go.

Nikita watched as the car drove away and then jumped as Dominique knocked on the door. Nikita turned with her palm placed in the middle of her chest. "Don't do that…"

"Sorry… I just didn't want you to delay breakfast any longer…" Dominique explained as he placed the tray on the bed. Nikita picked up the orange juice and smiled at the taste of the lemon that was signature Dominique. It was so good having him around again. "Thank you…"

"I was wondering if I could prepare something good for tonight…" Dominique hinted and Nikita shrugged her shoulders. "We haven't had really good pasta…"

"Ah… so you want some home-style Italian food?" Dominique joked as he patted his stomach. Nikita nodded her head as she licked her lips. Dominique knew what foods Nikita enjoyed, so she didn't have much worries on this left. "But we have a few things to do today… once the twins are up…"

"We do?" Dominique questioned and Nikita nodded her head. "Yes… we have to figure out, a position that will allow Michael to feed his daughters… Now, the twins have been sitting up… so that might help us some…"

"Nikita… I think it is going to be hard," Dominique stated and Nikita shook her head. "We can do it. We have to do it."

~~

Michael walked into the office and looked around. It had changed a lot in the years and Michael didn't notice it until now. It wasn't that Michael usually visited George. He visited George when there were problems. Michael held an envelope in his hand and looked at the walls.

As a therapist who used to subscribe to the old theorists and the old styles and techniques, it was easy to point out the biggest change of the office. There were pictures and personality. Michael looked at the photos, noticing the newspaper articles that had featured him and Nikita, professionally framed and up on the wall. He had the pictures of the twins and Michael held onto the envelope even tighter. He had a few more photographs, but taking photographs of the twins was becoming harder and harder to do as the press seemed to be wanting more and more once again.

Michael shivered with the thought of what the press would do if they found out that Michael was in a depression and that Nikita had been so ill. Michael rolled his shoulders back and wondered if they would be hiding their children forever, or if this was just a fad until someone else in France caught the public's attention.

"I'm sorry, Michael… I never meant to be that long…" George apologized as he pulled off his coat and placed it into the corner of the office. Michael sat down and cleared his throat. "I would think the father of twins would be late… not the godfather…"

"All right, Michael… I know that I was late.. but it was for a good cause…" George stated and Michael looked to the side and then back at George. "You found breakfast in bed with Adrian too nice to pass by."

"Now, how did you know that?" George questioned and Michael shrugged his shoulders. It was clear that George was happy with life once more and Michael only had a few options of who was supplying it. "You don't stray George… this makes sense."

"Well… enough about me… Now, how is Nikita feeling?" George questioned, not even getting the stuff that this was all to be about. Michael had one meeting with George since he started the medication, but wasn't sure if he could call it therapeutic at all.

"She is much better… it appears as if the mastitis is lifting…" Michael stated and George clapped his hands together. "That is going to make everything easier…"

"Yes… and helping Nikita has been enjoyable," Michael informed George. Michael didn't want to admit to Nikita how much he really did find pleasure in making up the stories. "You know… Nikita asks me to make these stories up for her… we've been through the ones that I do remember from my childhood… but Nikita likes it when I just make the stories up… But I think they are just about us…"

"It is a creative release Michael. Maybe it is a release that you never knew that you needed, but you really do need… It is not uncommon for people dealing with depression to find these things out about themselves… This could be an excellent coping mechanism…" George commented as he settled down into his chair. He looked at Michael as his green eyes looked forward unwavering. "You like this?"

"Yes…"

"You think I should tape these…" Michael continued to point out. He thought that the idea was crazy.

"Then your daughters, Abella and Cerise, can hear them… they only hear your voice right now, they don't understand what you are saying," George spoke as he leaned forward slightly. "But it is up to you."

"I'm thinking about it," Michael confirmed with a weak voice. He rolled his head back slightly and then pulled it back up. "So?"

"How are you feeling Michael?" George questioned and Michael rolled his eyes. "Please… don't tiptoe around me…"

"You seem much better Michael, but I don't know if I want to say anything that you aren't ready to hear," George spoke as he leaned back in his chair and turned it slightly to the side. He observed Michael as he stood up and moved around the office. Looking at the pictures and then sat down. "I want to hear it… I'm a therapist… we can play therapist games for months… I'm not looking for this to take months."

"It may take that long Michael. Being a therapist isn't something that magically heals you. You know that from just being with Nikita through the years," announced George with a strong voice, one that showed that he wasn't going to back down on this. Michael dropped his head slightly and then lifted it. "I'm ready to hear what you think this is all about."

"Well… I can start with what I know it isn't about," George caved in slightly. "I know that this depression isn't about your injury, your lack of mobility and your lack of contact with your daughters. Those are the easy excuses."

"I know."

"Well… if you know that. Do you know why you got this depressed?" George countered, challenging Michael, wanting Michael to see all of this for himself, because George could explain everything to Michael, but if Michael didn't see it with his own eyes and his own heart, he wouldn't accept it.

"I was scared that I would die and leave Nikita and my girls behind… I didn't know how to deal with it," Michael stated generically. George slightly nodded his head as he stood up and moved to the window.

"There is more."

"How much more can there be? I was very scared and afraid!" Michael proclaimed. George turned and looked at Michael.

"You were scared that you were going to lose your family again…" George stated clearly, knowing that for whatever reason, Michael wanted to hear this now.

"Again? What are you talking about?" Michael questioned as his eyes dulled, an indication that Michael was acting defensively. The young man rolled his shoulders back and took a deep breath. "I was scared that I was going to lose my family. This time. There wasn't another time."

"What about Elena and Adam?" George questioned. Michael flinched and turned his head to the side.

"And what about your mother and father?" George added and Michael now closed his eyes. George walked back in front of Michael and stood there. "Michael, you've lost a lot of people in your life… going through this accident triggered the cycle that you have gone through many times…"

"Cycle?" Michael questioned.

"You push away.. You did it with Michele."

"What?" Michael questioned as he shook his head back and forth. "You did… only Michele was young enough that it was going to take years for her to stand up to the emotionally detached Michael you become… Elena wasn't around… but Nikita, she can't take you emotionally detaching…"

"This has nothing to do with my parents…" Michael warned. George adjusted his face and touched Michael's shoulder. "Do you think that?"

"Please…" Michael whispered and George rounded the desk and sat down as Michael rolled his head back so he didn't look at George.

"I was everything when my parents died… and I didn't like that…" Michael spoke and George nodded his head. "And now you are everything for Nikita and your daughters?"

"I'm part of it…" Michael stated as he leveled his face, a few tears there. "Yes… you are part of everything…"

"Ok… so we'll be spending some time on my parents… and Michele…" Michael declared with a nod of his head. George blinked his eyes and tilted his head to the side. "Nikita?"

"Nikita… we are working things out… as long as I tell her the truth…" Michael admitted. The young man shifted his weight and George rubbed his head slightly as he looked at Michael. "And she is still taking care of you?"

"Well… she was really sick the past few days… but she doesn't want anyone to really help out with me… But I'm starting to do a lot more…" Michael conversed, thinking that the therapy was done for the day.

George on the other hand felt that there was an intimacy questioned between Michael and Nikita right now. He was fishing for the answers.

"Must be hard… have you been able to be together since the twins were born?" George questioned and Michael blinked his eyes and then dropped his head. "We had the go ahead…. But then I got hurt…"

"Ouch… so there is sexual tension?" George questioned and Michael turned his head to the side. "Nikita has taken care of me."

"So, you have taken care of her too?" George questioned, shocked that Michael hadn't said that they had been taking care of each other.

Michael froze as he heard what George said, realizing that he hadn't taken care of Nikita.

"Michael… please… tell me that you have helped her through this…" George begged and Michael blinked his eyes.

"I just… I…"

"Oh god…" George whispered as he stood up and went over to the liquor cabinet. He didn't expect to fall onto this. "Michael… Nikita has needs too…"

"This was during a rough time… you know, the height of depression…" Michael stammered for an excuse. He looked around, almost in a panic. "Oh my god… Nikita.. I never forget her like that… oh my god…"

"Michael… calm down." George looked at what he was doing and placed the glass down. "You have to make this up to her."

"Oh my god… this isn't who I am…" Michael muttered and George moved back to his desk and looked at Michael. "She will understand."

"Do I talk about this?" Michael inquired, unsure about what was next.

"First… you make sure she is better… and then you show her that you know what you did wrong in this department…" George stated and Michael nodded his head. His mind was flashing, trying to figure out what he could do with his injures to satisfy her. George could see the worry in Michael's face. "If you touch her… any way… that will be better."

"Oh god…" Michael groaned as he dropped his head, knowing that he owed Nikita a lot.

~~

Walter grunted as he moved into the kitchen. He just wasn't feeling right. He rubbed at his right arm and rolled it back.

"Walter?" Belinda called out. Walter dropped his arm and went about the work. "I'm working on dinner… is it just us?"

"Of course… Birkoff is spending some quality time with Quinn," Belinda stated as she started to pull out two glasses for wine.

Walter winced with slight pain, but continues to work.

It was nothing.

~~

"Hallo, Popsicle! You look so good!" Mick exclaimed as he wrapped his arms around his prized woman. Mick ducked back out of the door and then pulled in two huge stuffed rabbits. "I saw them for the girls…and I knew that they had to have them… I mean the rabbits were the only ones left in the store… and they looked like twins… and what more can twins have than their own set of twin rabbits!" Nikita looked at the animals and swallowed. "Ah.. Mick… they are so big…"

"I know… I know… so I got something else too…" Mick pulled out rattles and shook them around. "We are going to be selling these at Abella and Cerise… aren't they darling…." Nikita rubbed at her head as she allowed a silent groan escape from her mouth.

"They are cute… I didn't know that you were selling things other than food at Abella and Cerise…" Nikita commented and Mick nodded his head as he ducked back out onto the porch and then pulled out a bag.

"Now.. These are only samples… but these are a new line of baby foods… especially made by the chefs at Abella and Cerise… and they match the meals that we have there… and they are gourmet baby foods…" Mick informed Nikita.

"They are still on breast milk…" Nikita commented and Mick rolled his eyes. "I don't want you to force this on them… but once they start baby foods… if you can try these and tell me what they like… and then we'll start selling it… Of course, we will put the funds for the baby food into the charity money… for those families you want us to support…" Mick stated and Nikita swallowed. "You mean the homeless families…"

"Them too…" Mick declared as he finally closed the door. He pulled back as he sees Dominique down the hallway. "Hey… it is the party man from Italy! When did you get back?"

"A few days ago… I'm going to be staying and helping with the twins…" Dominique remarked as he smiled at Mick.

"Well… I guess that means that we can go out some… I can't wait to hit the places some more… the ladies of late haven't been letting me have any fun… just wanting to know about Michael and Nikita and the twins… it's all yadda yadda yadda to me…. But the birds want to know about the ba-abies." Mick flapped his arms around as he moved into the living room, dropping off his folder onto the table. Nikita looked at Dominique as he laughed.

"Well… I did have fun…"

"Well… how about this Friday… see the Grindle… which was that really happening place with the guys in the go-go boxes… you know.. all the sequins…" Mick started to chatter as Nikita tried to keep up. "Well… I know the special for the night is going to be the Electric Popsicle… and since that is your favorite drink…"

"Ok… ok… Let me stop you here… Michael will punch both of you if he has to go and bail you out," Nikita warned and Dominique looked around, as Mick turned red. "You told them!"

"I am taking care of the twins… I felt an obligation to Nikita to tell her… She hasn't told Michael…" Dominique rushed out, not wanting to lose Mick as a friend.

Mick backed up with a roar of laughter. "If you could have seen your face!"

"Ok… Ok.. stop!" Nikita declared, putting an end to this conversation. Nikita looked at Mick and placed her hands on his shoulders. "Don't we have work to do?"

"Of course… and I'm sure that Dominique has to go run and tend to the babies…" Mick taunted Dominique. Nikita rolled her eyes and pulled Dominique down onto the couch. "I think I want Dominique here to listen to your crazy ideas and hear my say no and when you do them either way… I have proof for Michael that I said no."

"Now, would I do that?" Mick questioned as he sat down on the other couch and pulled out a report for Nikita. "I mean… this event is almost tame…"

"Tame? Somehow that doesn't match you," Nikita stated as she handed the report over to Dominique.

"What do you want me to do?"

"Read it… while I grill Mick…" Nikita directed Dominique. He opened up the cover and Nikita watched as

Mick swallowed. "Something wrong?"

"Well… there are a few things that need to be ironed out… and some parts of the fundraising event have to be marketed to the right crowd," Mick spoke with a nervous flap of his hands. He wasn't even looking at Nikita, but rather watching Dominique. Mick jumped as Dominique pulled the papers down and looked over at Nikita. "I guess he would be talking about the drag show…"

"Drag show!" Nikita hollered and Mick rolled his eyes. "It isn't a drag show… it is a female and male impersonation show!"

"It's a drag show!" Dominique fired back and Nikita raised her hands. "I will have to bring this up with Michael… and Walter… do you still want to propose this, Mick?"

"Look… you can do this classy… I'm not doing one of those cut rate, cheesy fake booby productions! I know people in Vegas… upper class impersonators… that get paid big bucks to push away their family jewels… and most of them are straight!" Mick declared in a fierce competition. "And I want it in! We need fun and humor sometimes!"

"Dominique… keep reading… I'm almost afraid to see what else Mick is going to try to do in this one evening…" Nikita stated as she rolled her eyes. Then she turned and narrowed her eyes at Mick once more.

"It is still one evening?"

"Yes… I know that the mother and the father need to be with their twins…" Mick stated and Nikita shivered. "And the twins aren't mentioned at all, right? We aren't going to auction off their footprints or something like that?"

"No… I wouldn't do that… but I was going to auction off some of their dirty diapers!" Mick declared sarcastically. Nikita dropped her head, already exhausted. "I wouldn't do anything to hurt those two… or exploit them."

"Other than make a restaurant with their name?" Dominique pointed out and Mick opened his mouth and had the words fail him. "Actually Dom… we knew about that… I'll explain it to you later." Nikita tilted her head to the side and blinked her eyes in rapid concession. "Now, about this concert?"

"Oh yes… I know the stars that are going to come are going to blow your mind… light rock, metal, rap, opera… jazz… musicals… a whole Broadway cast…" Mick declared and Nikita opened her eyes. "And who is going to pay for all of them? Stars aren't cheap!"

"They are coming out of the goodness of their hearts… their friendship for me… and maybe because they don't want some things that happen in my restaurants to come out in the public…" Mick declared with a shrug of his shoulders. Dominique dropped the contract and stared at Mick. "They aren't going to let people bungee jump off the Eiffel Tower!"

"What?" Nikita hissed as she shook her head. "Did you even think about that?"

"Yeah…" Mick stated with a wince. "And if your dreampuff boy read on… he would have seen that the alternative site would be outside the stadium… with a large crane… offering not only bungee jumping, but also that sling shot thing… where they pull the cords down to you on the ground and shoot you off to the sky."

Nikita shook her head up and down as she grabbed the report out of Dominique's hands and threw it back to Mick. "You know.. I'm not really ready for this… I just can't handle this now…"

"But doll face… we have to work on this…" Mick stated with a whining voice. Nikita rubbed at her temples and Dominique stood up. "Do you want tea Nikita?"

"Tea sounds great…" Nikita spoke and Dominique moved away. Nikita reached over and grabbed Mick's knee hard.

"OUCH! You are hurting me!" Mick squealed, but Nikita continued to squeeze harder. "You are going to listen to me."

"Are you going to let go?" Mick questioned and Nikita narrowed her eyes once more. "You are going to go over that report… you are going to take the crazy things out and then come back with a normal event!"

"We don't do normal," Mick stated and Nikita shook her head back and forth. "You will do what I say… Now get out!"

"But I want to make plans with powderpuff boy…" Mick stated and Nikita shook her head.

"Please, Mick… I'm still sick… don't push me…" Nikita warned and Mick swallowed and stood up as he nodded his head.

Nikita leaned back onto the couch and fell back on her back, finding peace and sleep.

~~

"Come on… we have a surprise for you…" Nikita stated as she pulled Michael's left hand into the room. Michael looked around, feeling guilty that Nikita had done something for her. "Kita… I don't need anything more than you and the girls…"

"Michael… this will make you feel so good…" Nikita gushed as she smiled. She had slept almost three hours after Mick had left. It was after that when Nikita figured it out. Nikita closed the bedroom door and smiled at her daughter as they kicked in the playpen.

"You have to feed them soon…" Michael commented and Nikita nodded her head. She looked to the side and saw the two bottles in the warming devices, but knew that Michael didn't see them.

"Now, sit down on the bed, as close to the middle as you can…" Nikita directed Michael.

"Why?" Michael questioned as he sat down and then moved to the middle. "Now back to the backboard… as far as you can…"

"Nikita…"

"Trust me…" Nikita looked at Michael and then nodded her head. She tapped his right leg and pushed it up, creating a small triangle with his leg and the bed. Nikita then turned and pulled Abella out of the playpen.

"You are going to feed your daughter…" Nikita announced and Michael looked at Nikita. "Kita… I can't hold her…"

"I know you can't… but Abella and Cerise now can sit up… and they can sit against your leg and you can hold the bottle with your left hand…" Nikita declared as she moved to the bed and gently placed Abella down on the bed. She sat up against her father with a brilliant smile. Michael started to cry gently. "Oh god… I miss touching them…"

"Well… touch her all you want… I have to check this bottle…" Nikita declared. She moved over to the warmers, knowing that the bottle was fine. She watched as Michael allowed Abella to grab his finger and try to suck it. Nikita smiled and nodded her head.

She handed Michael the bottle and then sat on his left side, watching him as he happily fed Abella. And as Nikita burped Abella, Michael worked on feeding Cerise, finally feeling like a complete father once more.

And knowing that he owed Nikita big time.