Nikita walked back to the car, already behind schedule. She wasn’t sure yet whether her decision had been a mistake, but she desperately hoped it hadn’t been. The weeks before her position at Center had been revealed were the best of her life, the only ones where she didn’t need to worry about staying alive or protecting Michael. They had also been the worst. Nikita had always hoped that once Michael was outside, she would have proof that his loyalty to Section was overwhelming, that he could return and even succeed in Oversight. Even while enjoying the time given to them by Mr. Jones, Nikita had been evaluating Michael’s reaction, trying to determine what her final recommendation should be.

Finally, just days before they were scheduled to be brought back in, she had an answer. Michael, despite his ingrained fear of discovery and emotional fragility, was adjusting. It was a slow process, but it was clear to Nikita that, given enough time, Michael would be capable of functioning in the world outside the Sections.

Just days ago in Iceland, Nikita had been surprised that it had taken Michael so long to realize the trap. She really had assumed that he would keep her outside, would know without seeing the withdrawal of civilians that they were discovered. If anything, his slower reaction time only made it more obvious that he was able to return to a normal life. Nikita had sighed, and then continued her cover, knowing that he would refuse to endanger her life.

Not that he wasn’t able to surprise her. Even after deciding that she would recommend his promotion despite her misgivings, Nikita had not expected him to choose cancellation himself. Given their experiences, she had expected him to agree with her statements, to force her to make the recommendation and seal his fate. Something must have shifted, and after watching the tapes of those final moments with Operations, she knew what it was. He had expected to die, had wanted his wishes fulfilled. He had been absolutely honest in their final exchanges, truly believed that were she to die he would as well. Those heart-wrenching cries had nearly undone her resolve. For a long moment, Nikita regretted ever choosing to take her evaluation outside the walls of Section, no matter what comfort those weeks would provide once she was alone again. If she hadn’t allowed him the chance to demonstrate his love, his own self-protective instincts would have been sufficient. After weeks of freedom, self-protection was completely subsumed by his connection to her. Unfortunately, if seven years in Section had taught her anything, it had been how to resist emotional needs and concentrate on the bigger picture.

In the end, it didn’t matter. Maybe, subconsciously, he knew that she would never order his cancellation. At the very least, he must have suspected that she was lying. No one in Section operated without a contingency plan. Then again, given her previous betrayal, maybe he didn’t care. Whatever his real feelings, he seemed to be surprised when she appeared at the end of his run. Those final moments, the seconds when she denied the only good result of all those years of pain, had been harder then any in her work for Center.

In the end she had done it. For both their sakes, she needed to be strong and push him away. It had been so hard to see his pain, the total disbelief in his eyes. Even now, she wasn’t sure whether he had believed her. That made it easier, somehow—if he hadn’t, there was still a chance that he would come back for her. Then again, it might have worked. Nikita wasn’t sure which option she preferred; for herself, the idea that he was waiting somewhere was immensely comforting; for his own good, he needed to move on.

The one thing she hadn’t considered was Michael’s reaction to freedom without the one person he loved more than life. He was not resigned to being alone. He had no intention of becoming resigned. In fact, he was simply waiting and planning his next move. Whether she wanted to or not, Nikita was going to face the fact that they were better together than apart. Even Operations had finally admitted that they were too connected to be of any use without each other, and if Wolfe could see it then everyone could.

That was the heart of his plan: somehow, Mr. Jones had to be convinced that this concession to Nikita’s wishes was a mistake, that there was a better way. And since it was obvious that his ever-stubborn heart’s blood wouldn’t change her mind without help, it was up to Michael to convince them both.

***

Mick was beginning to lose patience with his second-in-command. Ever since he had given in to her misguided self-sacrifice, she had been nothing but trouble. He finally decided to call her on it. “Michelle, get Nikita in here. And tell her to hurry.”

In a few moments, she arrived. Mick was less than pleased to note that she had obviously been crying. Still, he tried to keep in mind that a part of their relationship was based on trust, and attempted to be kind. “Nikita, I’ve been studying your performance reports, and I don’t like what I’ve seen. This arrangement is obviously not working.”

“I’m sorry, sir. I shall try to improve.” Nikita cursed her timing, wishing once more that she had a moment to compose herself before meeting her new superior.

“That’s not enough. I agreed with your decision regarding Michael on the condition that if he was released, you would continue to perform as expected. That hasn’t happened. Now, what are we going to do about it?”

“I said I was sorry, and I’ll do better,” Nikita snapped, eyes flashing, “What else can I do?”

“I think you know, Nikita,” Mick sighed, “And I expect you to do it.”

“No. I won’t bring him in. He deserves this chance, after everything Section has done. They took his entire life, for God’s sake. How can you even ask?”

“I can, and I am. Besides, Nik, he isn’t adjusting to the life you gave him. He never will.”

“He just needs time. I told you, he won’t settle in right away, not until he’s sure he’s safe.”

“Nikita, you don’t understand. I’ve been watching him. He’ll never settle in without you. He simply refuses to try.”

“What do you mean, you been watching? I thought we agreed that he was free.”

“I had a suspicion that this would happen. In addition, I knew you couldn’t just let him go. Besides, you’ve been watching, too. You have to have seen it.”

Nikita bowed her head, defeated. It was true. In the three months Michael had been gone, he had simply refused to make even the slightest effort to accept his new circumstances. Instead, he spent the days wandering the streets of the city he landed in, and the nights pacing the rooms of the apartment she had chosen and paid for, as a final gift. If anything, he was getting worse. Just the night before, he had sat in the tiny kitchen for an hour, completely motionless, staring off into the darkness. Nikita had been sorely tempted not to run into the room and throw herself at his feet, begging forgiveness for those final words of denial. Only the thought that at least no one in Center knew where he was stopped her. For a moment she contemplated denying Mick’s statement, or arguing further, but she knew full well that it wouldn’t work. Mick hadn’t liked the idea to begin with, and it was clear that he was done waiting for her to see the truth.

“I don’t suppose you’d consider allowing me to join him,” she suggested, admitting her inability to defend her choice.

Mick resisted an urge to laugh. “I really wish I could, but you’re too important to this organization for me to justify that decision. Besides, what would your father think of my leadership skills if I let both of his best operatives out?"

“I assume you have a plan?” Nikita knew that she would follow orders, had no choice really, but she refused to give her superior any assistance. If Michael was to be brought in, let Mick figure out how to do it.

“I do. First, you need to make contact with Michael. Anything we do has to be with his agreement. He’s too skilled to be brought in against his will; even if we could do it, he’d be more of a liability than an asset.” Mick quickly outlined the rest of the mission profile, and sent Nikita on her way to work out the details.

***

Michael had found Nikita’s surveillance equipment the first day; Nikita had never been at her best with tech, and the setup had Walter’s participation written all over it. It had taken him three more days to find the additional hardware installed by Center. The discovery that Center knew he was alive changed things significantly. Apparently, Nikita hadn’t been acting alone; she had been given a choice in setting him free. He wondered briefly what she had traded for that choice, and why she hadn’t asked him about it first. Once again, Michael was forced to reevaluate his perceptions of this woman who meant so much to so many people. While he had been consumed by the changes in himself, the growth of an emotional life that had been missing since long before his recruitment by Section, his lover had been changing as well. Michael berated himself for missing the development. If he had only been paying attention, this never would have happened. She had grown, and had based her self-sacrifice in releasing him on that growth without considering what that sacrifice meant to them both. It was typical of Nikita to make a decision without thinking it through, and that obviously hadn’t changed.

Still, the continued surveillance was comforting. At the very least, it satisfied him that her denials following his abeyance mission had been false. She did love him, and was acting out of misplaced loyalty instead of gratitude, or even worse, guilt. In addition, it provided him with the opportunity he needed to convince her of the mistake she had made. Michael, therefore, carefully demonstrated his inability to adjust to life outside. Truthfully, it wasn’t all acting. It had been over a decade since he had been free of the confines of the shadow life, and he had a hard time letting go of even a small part of his ingrained cautiousness. So much the better—he could never really fool Nikita, and didn’t want to try. She needed to believe that he wasn’t functioning, and was truly in danger. Some three months after his release, it finally worked.

***

Nikita could think of no better way to contact Michael than to knock on his door. She knew better than to surprise him—Section taught its recruits to defend themselves with violence, and she had no desire to be on the receiving end of Michael’s automatic reaction to stealth. Besides, if she was going to face his anger, she preferred to give him a chance to compose himself before confronting her. With all her emotions swirling, she took a deep breath and reached for the door.

Michael watched her hesitate, and then make a decision. As her fist came towards the door, he swung it open and pulled her inside. Without waiting to hear her reasons he slammed her against the wall and forced her into a deep kiss. His anger at her betrayal would have to wait: right now, three months of frustration and despair translated into a need to touch her that wouldn’t be denied.

Nikita was stunned—this was not the reaction she had steeled herself to expect. More than anything, she wanted to ask how he had known who it was. .After a moment, however, she gave up wondering and surrendered herself to feelings that had been denied too long. She suddenly saw how much her lack of this man had ached, and found herself crying at the relief of his embrace.

Michael pulled away, frightened that he had been too forceful, had injured his beloved Nikita. He turned her head to meet his eyes, and began with the question he most needed to answer. His voice broke as he groaned, “Why?”

Nikita misunderstood his question, and began to stutter, “I couldn’t tell you, Michael. Mick—I mean, Mr. Jones, swore that to succeed we had to be completely dark, and I knew you would try to protect me from Operations and Madeline, and then it was too late—we were back in Section, and I didn’t know what to do when you refused the evaluation. The only thing I could think of was getting you out and making you happy..”

Michael cut her off with a shake of his head. “No. Why did you keep watching me? You knew I would find the equipment. What were you trying to prove?”

“I wasn’t trying to prove anything. I just couldn’t let you go, and I didn’t have time to arrange anything better. For all I knew, you wouldn’t even stay here. Why couldn’t you just move on Michael? I tried so hard to get you out; why not just take the chance and go?”

Michael saw the months of fear and frustration in her eyes. He tried to explain what he had learned about himself in his time alone, but was afraid that, as usual, the words weren’t enough. It was the reason he was so silent—English never conveyed what he really felt, and it was easier to demonstrate his love than to define it. Still, he tried. “I couldn’t go without you. It wasn’t worth it, I’d have been better dead in Section. I thought, when Operations told me you were being cancelled, that my heart would break and kill me. When I woke up and you were still alive, it was a miracle. Then you told me you didn’t love me, and it was a knife it my chest, a bullet. Physical pain is nothing, Kita, but without your love I can’t breathe, can’t think, can’t move.” With a flash, his rage returned. “How could you abandon me? You’re all I have.”

Her tears returned. With a desperate look, she broke away from his glance and tried to recover her thoughts. This was not at all what she had in mind. They both knew that Center was watching, and this was not the place to rekindle past pain. She took an uneven breath, and held his face still while she stated her mission. "You have to come back, Michael. Mr. Jones sent me to get you. I can’t explain now, but we’ll have time to talk later.”

“No. I won’t go back and then be separated from you again. I’d rather die. Tell Mick to go to hell, and take Center with him.”

Nikita saw the finality in his look, a look that allowed no disobedience, no discussion. Still, she had to make him see that this was the only choice they had, the last time either would be given a chance to control destiny. She tried another approach, this time letting him see the desperation in her eyes.

“Michael, please. If I don’t bring you in, he’s going to cancel me. I can’t function when I’m afraid for you, and everyone can see that. Operations thinks that I’m in mourning for you, but Mr. Jones knows the truth, and he’s not happy about it. This is the only chance I have. You have to come with me.” It wasn’t the whole truth, and given who her father was, it was unlikely that even Mick would be able to order her cancellation, but it was close enough. She could see the competing emotions in his face, but after a few seconds he came to a decision.

“I’ll come in, but I make no promises.” Michael hoped she couldn’t see the terror her words created—a threat to her safety was the only thing that truly frightened him. That, and the loss of her love, but given her response to his freedom, he at last felt secure in the bond between them. Now, the only thing to do was find a way to convince Mick to agree to his proposal. Unfortunately, he had no leverage in that case, but Michael was prepared to move heaven and earth to protect Nikita and their love. “Shall we go, or do I have a few minutes to get ready?”

Nikita realized for the first time that he was wearing nothing but a towel. She told herself to ignore the jump of her heart, but it still took a moment for the lightheadedness to pass. “Um, of course. I’ll wait outside.”

Michael raised an eyebrow, and hid a smile. “Wait here.” With that, he spun and returned to the bedroom to pick up the bag he had already packed and finish dressing. Taking one last look around, he took a deep breath and stepped back into the life he knew.

***

Mick turned from the screen, satisfied. So far, his plan was working. Now all he needed was to explain the situation to Michael and the two best operatives in Section would finally be able to work at their full potential. It was about time, too. Mick couldn’t believe the mess that Paul had made of this situation, nor could he understand just what the Section One leader had hoped to achieve by his machinations. Honestly, that man’s ambition was going to kill them all someday. Mick sighed, and began preparing himself for the impending meeting. It was certain that Michael wouldn’t like the idea at first, but with a little luck he would see reason and agree.

Within an hour, his intercom beeped. “Sir, Nikita and Michael are here to see you.”

“Send them in.” Mick straightened his tie and put on his best irritated scowl.

“I expected you here twenty minutes ago. I don’t like to be kept waiting.”

“I’m sorry, sir.” Nikita showed no signs of her previous indecision. “It took longer than I thought to convince him.”

“Just don’t let it happen again. Welcome back, Michael.” Mick turned to the inscrutable man standing next to Nikita. He obviously wasn’t resigned to the recent developments. Ah well, these things took time. “I trust Nikita has explained the situation in full?”

“No. She said you wanted to see me. Here I am.” Michael wanted Mick—Mr. Jones—to understand that this was not his idea. It was the only way to keep what little leverage he had.

Mick understood the other man’s anger. Had their positions been reversed, he would have felt the same way. Still, for the sake of himself and Section, Michael had to be made to see reason. With a small sigh for the opportunities Paul and Madeline’s interference had lost, he decided to try another approach.

“Look, Michael, I realize that you may be feeling a little irritated over the events of the past few months.” As usual, Mick got no more response than a brief flicker of contempt. It seemed that Michael was more angry than he had realized. Mick supposed that their previous encounters hadn’t done much to create a sense of comraderie, but had at least hoped that Michael would pretend to listen. Yet again cursing his misguided underlings, Mick got to the point. “We have three problems. First, Nikita isn’t worth a damn when she’s busy sighing over you.” With a wink, Mick let a hint of his affection for the pair show. “Sorry, love, but it’s the truth.” All business again, he continued. “Second, you are quite obviously not adjusting as well as expected. And third, this organization needs strong leadership, which it won’t get without a few personnel changes.” Mick leaned back in his chair, prepared to let Michael make the next move. He was a bright boy, surely he could figure this out.

Michael thought a moment before replying. Whatever this new Mick wanted, he couldn’t make it easy for him to ask. That would leave both he and Nikita right back where they started, trying to snatch a few minutes of safety between missions. In addition, that last crack about Nikita’s performance had gotten under his skin. He didn’t like to think about how close the man he remembered mostly as a morally challenged pain in the ass had been to her. Shaking his head to clear the last thought, he finally answered with a question that sounded more like a statement. “What does this have to do with me?”

Nikita held back a sigh. As much as she loved this man, she couldn’t help but be irritated sometimes with his single-mindedness. He simply refused to compromise. Still, Mick had explained his intentions, and she had to admit that the scheme might just work. All they needed was for Michael to listen long enough to understand the advantages of his offer; given the competing egos in this room, that could take all day. She took a step forward. “Michael, please. Just listen to what he has to say. This doesn’t have to be that difficult.”

Michael turned and took her hand. With a searching glance, he determined that she really did seem to agree with whatever Mick had proposed. He gave in, but not without one last menacing glare at his new superior. Pulling Nikita down beside him, he dropped gracefully into a chair. “I’m listening.”

Mick looked from one to the other. Apparently, this wasn’t the uneven pairing he had assumed it to be. So much the better—they would have needed to learn to work together as equals anyway, and this new development would speed things up considerably. “You and Nikita are the best operatives Section has ever produced. We all know that. You are also more dedicated to each other than any other mentor-student pairing. Maybe it’s because Paul and Madeline botched things so horribly, maybe it would have happened anyway, but there it is. Now, we have to find a way to use those two facts. This is what I propose.”

Nikita watched Michael apprehensively as Mick began explaining the plan. She knew it could work, that it would work if they both tried. The only flaw she could find was that, given her actions in the past few months, Michael might decide to simply walk away, refuse to cooperate. It was unlikely, given their recent encounter, but the possibility remained. She relaxed only when he nodded, agreeing to the terms with very little deliberation.

Michael was surprised to discover that the real Mick was both a clever strategist and extremely observant. He found a new respect for the man he had alternately abused and coerced in the past year. Nikita had obviously already given her assent, all that remained was his own. “I agree, on one condition.”

Mick cursed his luck. Under the circumstances, he thought the encounter had been going swimmingly. Michael was the most infuriating man he had ever met. Still, a little compromise never killed anyone. “What is it?”

“I want five days before I begin my new assignment. No surveillance, no interference. And Nikita comes with me.” Michael’s tone allowed no argument.

Mick was relieved. He had intended to suggest a short vacation, anyway. This way Michael would think it was his idea, and would feel less threatened when he came back. “Fine. But I want one of you to call in every day, just in case something comes up.” Mick knew he had to save himself some appearance of control.

Otherwise, in a month Michael would be after his job, as well.

Nikita nodded in response to Michael’s glance, accepting his decision to give them both some time alone. Knowing Mick, he would have ordered them to take a break anyway; in the end it didn’t matter who suggested it. She answered for them both. “Agreed.”

Mick stood up, satisfied. “Good. You’re both dismissed, and I’ll see you in five days. On second thought, make it a week. It’s been a long time, and I think you both have some things to discuss.” He remained standing as the pair rose and left the room. Now that the tricky part was taken care of, it was time to move on to the details.

***

Paul turned from the latest mission stats in disgust. Not only was Madeline gone, but the loss of Michael and Nikita had been more of a blow than expected. He had to admit, even at their worst they were better than any of the operatives Section One was saddled with now. He wondered, not for the first time, whether he was being punished in some subtle way for the way the two had been handled. Admittedly, there had been mistakes, but it was clear that no matter what they had done, Nikita and Michael would have ended up together. In a way, it was as if the farther they’d been pushed apart, the closer they’d become. Even the Gelman process hadn’t worked, and there wasn’t anything else that could separate them without rendering one, or possibly both, useless. It was enough to tempt him to believe in fate. He was startled from these unpleasant thoughts by a voice in his ear. “Sir, Mr. Jones is on his way in. He wants to see you.”

“I’ll be down in five minutes.” Paul still wasn’t used to the new Mick, the cold, calculating superior. As much as he despised the sleazy informant, at least he had personality.

Paul walked into the conference room, already prepared to defend the recent failures in Section. He stopped, stunned. This wasn’t possible; there must be some mistake. His mind raced, trying to find a way to explain the presence of the only operatives he had ever failed to control. Trying to hide his disbelief, he addressed his superior. “You wanted to see me,” was the best he could choke out.

Mick smirked. He had to admit, this job had its moments. “Yes, Paul. I’d like you to meet your replacement. Michael, this is Paul. Paul, Michael. And of course, you know Nikita.”

“How is this possible? He’s declared his disloyalty to Section—what’s going on?”

Mick gestured for Wolfe to sit down. “I knew that eventually both you and Madeline would need to be replaced. Given the circumstances, now seems like a good time. You will be moving to head Section Three, and Michael will be taking your place here in Section One. Nikita will remain at Center until my evaluations are finished, and then she will begin her new position at Oversight.”

“You can’t be serious. They aren’t qualified to be operatives, let alone leaders.” Paul practically spit the words out.

“Alone, perhaps not. But I’m also restructuring the Sections. From now on, Section One Operations and Oversight will have joint control of missions and personnel. Given the relationship between Michael and Nikita, I think the new arrangement should work quite nicely.” Mick felt the need to add one final jab.

“By the way, I don’t really think you have the right to evaluate the qualifications of your new superiors. In the future, I suggest you keep any misgivings to yourself. You’re dismissed.”

After Wolfe stalked out of the room, Mick turned to Michael and Nikita. “You’re going to have trouble with him. He won’t go quietly, and I don’t want to cancel him. Ambition, after all, does have its purposes.”

Michael answered firmly, “It won’t be a problem. He’s never been anything we can’t handle.”

Mick nodded, satisfied. “It’s settled then. As we agreed, Nikita will be back in three days. Until then I wish you luck.” He stood, gave them both one last appraising look, and nodded again. “Nikita, you have five minutes.” With that, he turned and left the room.

Once Mick was gone, Nikita let out a deep breath. “That didn’t go so badly.”

Michael shrugged. “Maybe. Maybe not. He took the changes too calmly. It may take me a while to figure out what he has planned. Still, it’s a start.” Changing gears, he gave her a long look. “What am I going to do without you for three days?”

Nikita grinned. “Cold showers?” She ducked, just missing Michael’s attempt to swing her to the floor. “You need practice. Being outside has…” The last words were lost as Michael grabbed her and found her mouth with his own. Nikita felt her knees buckle.

Realizing that he had her attention, Michael broke the kiss and looked down into Nikita’s eyes. “That isn’t what I meant. Well, it is, but not entirely.” His looked grew concerned. “I don’t ever want you to think that our relationship is purely physical. I need you.”

Nikita blinked back tears. No matter how long they were together, she would never get tired of hearing those words. “I know,” she whispered. “I love you. Always.” Suddenly, the com panel barked. “Nikita, time’s up. Move it, now”

Nikita took one last quick kiss, then pulled away. “Duty calls. I’ll see you in three days. I love you.” She spun and left the room, not wanting Michael to see the pain their parting caused. Downtime every two weeks was better than most operatives got, and Mick had promised them a week alone after six months, so long as there were no major threats looming. It wasn’t perfect, wasn’t enough, but it was better than they had ever had before. With a new look of determination, she straightened her shoulders and headed outside.

Michael sat back down. They would find a way to make this work. Maybe, with time, he could convince Mick that there were a few other things he and Nikita needed to share. For now, though, he simply closed his eyes and whispered, “I love you, Nikita. Always.”

The End