As usual, the characters belong to WB, all except for Anderson who, while not very important, is mine. I’m not making any money, etc., etc. I’ve once again ignored everything I didn’t like and gone on pretending that most of Season 5 didn’t happen, unless it fits in with my story. This piece makes very little sense without the previous stories, so I suggest reading them first. Otherwise, enjoy!

***

“A little lower…now a little to the left…a little more…that’s it! Now don’t move!” Nikita jumped down from the counter, wielding a hammer and a collection of nails. “Just give me a sec to mark this.”

Michael stood on a chair, holding Nikita’s newest find. He shook his head, clearing hair out of his eyes and expressing his distaste for the painting at the same time. “Don’t you think it’s too, well, bright, for in here?” He squinted, trying to see what it was that made Nikita buy the painting. Squinting didn’t help.

“You’re just standing too close. Wait until I get it hung up. You’ll like it, I promise.” Stepping back, Nikita began to swing the hammer. Michael stopped her arm and placed the painting on the floor all in one motion.

“If you could wait until I’m out of the way I’d appreciate it. Somehow I don’t trust you with a hammer.” He kissed her forehead and then stepped down, moving into the kitchen with what could almost be called a spring in his step.

Nikita grinned to herself, wishing that there were more afternoons like these.

Although they saw each other more often, it was still a struggle to get away from the Agency. If anything, it was harder now that they were both settled into new positions. There always seemed to be some crisis that needed attention.

Yesterday it had been the embassy bombing in Cairo, and the week before the summit meeting in Stockholm. Terrorist suppression was a growth industry. She sighed gently, and resumed her interrupted decorating. Spending so much time apart made these times all the more precious. Her stomach rumbled, reminding her that whatever Michael was cooking had better be done soon. If not, she was breaking out the Ben and Jerry’s.

The phone rang, and Michael stepped quickly to get it before Nikita climbed down from the chair. “Yes.”

Mick’s voice rang through. “Michael. Come in.”

“Both of us?” Michael glanced up to see Nikita watching him.

“No. Just you.”

“Fine.” Michael prepared himself for Nikita’s response. To be denied downtime together was bad enough, but her curiosity was going to drive her mad. “I have to go in.”

“I’ll get changed.” Nikita hopped down from the chair and headed for the bedroom. She stopped halfway there and turned. “You said I. Why not both of us?”

“I don’t know. I’ll let you know when I find out.”

Nikita saw the blank stare and shuddered. Whatever it was, it wasn’t good news. Her mind raced through all the possibilities, discarding the idea that a mission had gone bad or something had happened to Walter or Jason. Anything like that would involve them both. The only remaining option was Elena and Adam. “Are you sure you don’t want me along? Moral support, you know.”

Michael had reached the same conclusion as Nikita—something was wrong with Adam. As much as he appreciated her offer, he knew that the less his mission family intruded on the new life he and Nikita had made, the better. “I’ll call you later.”

As Michael walked out the door carrying that leather trench coat that always made her heart stop, Nikita sighed. Not only was she worried about Michael, but she had no idea how to finish dinner. She was on her way to the freezer when the phone rang.

“Turn the oven down to 200 degrees. In an hour, take it out. If I’m not back by then, go ahead and eat.” The phone clicked. Well, at least she wouldn’t starve.

***

“You wanted to see me.” Michael sat down, not bothering to remove his coat.

“Michael. I see you haven’t learned to knock. Do sit down.” Mick looked up from his screen, turning it to show Michael. The display was of a funeral, similar to the hundreds of funerals that Section had arranged over the years. Michael glanced at it, then moved closer.

“What is Adam doing there? And where is Elena?” Michael suddenly sat back, realizing what this meant. “Elena’s dead. Why?”

“We didn’t do this. It was an accident, nothing that could be prevented.”

“How did it happen?”

“That doesn’t matter. The question is, what are we going to do with Adam? Right now he’s with foster parents, both of whom are well-trained and trusted by us. I would be willing to move him, though. If you want him with you.” Mick scanned Michael’s face. As usual, a flicker of his eyes were the only indication that Michael was surprised.

“I have to think about it. Is that all?” Michael felt the walls closing in. There must be something Mick wasn’t saying.

“Yes. I need an answer this week.” Mick returned to scanning the latest intel from Belgrade, not bothering to watch Michael leave.

***

Nikita heard a key turning in the lock. For a moment she tensed, and then heard Michael’s step as he crossed the floor. “Michael? I left dinner for you. It’s in the oven.”

“I’m not hungry.” Nikita heard him hesitate, then climb the stairs to the bedroom. He slid into bed next to her without removing his clothes.

“Hey, I just washed these sheets.” Nikita reached for Michael’s hand, but touched his back instead. She sat up. “Michael, what’s wrong?”

“Later, ‘Kita. We’ll talk about it later.” Michael drew his pillow over his head and turned away.

It was a long, sleepless night. For both of them.

***

Michael woke to the sound of pans hitting the kitchen floor. This was usually an indication that Nikita was going to make breakfast. He wasn’t sure if his stomach could handle “Waffle Surprise” this morning, but he tried to encourage what little domestic effort she made. He could always have Christopher send in lunch later.

Nikita turned as he entered. “I thought you might be hungry. We’re doing omelettes this week in cooking class.” Nikita held up a pile of something that might have been an egg. Maybe. A long time ago, and before she had gotten to it. Even Nikita looked unsure about actually eating what was left. “Or we could have cereal.”

“You need a little more practice. Here, let me try.” Michael took the pan gently from her hand, standing a little closer than absolutely necessary. Nikita held her breath. “What are you hungry for?”

Nikita looked at Michael. He put the pan down, took her hand, and led her back into the bedroom.

***

When Nikita awoke to the sound of her stomach growling, Michael was gone. The note next to the bed told her very little, only that he had a meeting and would be back later that night. And not to make dinner, although that was pretty much assumed. Nikita stretched and headed for the shower.

When she finished dressing (tucking her gun into the specially designed low-profile holster and her cellphone into a Gucci bag), Nikita headed downtown to do some shopping. These days, she got most of her clothing from the wardrobe in Section, but it was nice to get out once in a while and keep an eye on the trends. you never knew when there would be a great sale on black leather. Just as she walked into Neiman Marcus, her phone rang. “Yes?” Nikita answered, secretly cursing whoever invented the revolving door as she was hit from behind.

Mick’s voice answered. “I need to talk to you. Can you be here at two?”

Nikita scanned her perimeter. “It’s my day off, Mick. Is this important?”

“It’s always important, luv. I’ll see you at two, then.” The phone clicked off.

Nikita sighed. At least she had time to do some shopping first. She always found it easier to face bad news when wearing a new pair of shoes. This sounded like the kind of meeting that would require a new skirt, too. Maybe something in suede, with a cute little top to match

***

At the knock on his door, Michael looked up from a screen that he hadn’t really seen for hours. “Come in.” He closed out the stats on Belgrade and looked up, registering the interruption as one of the operatives Nikita had placed in a partial-release program. “What is it?”

Anderson cleared his throat. “I’ve seen the panel for Toronto. Are you sure we need three team coverage? I ran the sims, and I think we can get by with two.”

Michael heard footsteps in the hall stop, and then hurry off toward Comm. Word traveled fast in Section, and he was sure that by lunch everyone would have heard that Anderson was headed to the Farm for calling Michael out. He closed his eyes and ran the sims again in his head. He realized that Anderson was probably right. The parameters were wrong. “It’s your team. If you think it can be done with less personnel, you had my permission to change it.”

Anderson started to respond, then shook his head. “Do you agree with me? I can show you the tapes, and Jason worked up a new profile…”

“If I didn’t agree, you wouldn’t be able to change anything. Now go tell your team.” Michael watched the door close, then leaned back and closed his eyes. He should have caught that error. The situation with Adam was affecting his performance, and no one knew more than he did that mistakes cost lives. He picked up the phone to call Nikita. He hesitated, then decided to find Walter instead.

The aging hippie was in munitions, recalibrating some experimental hypodermic guns. Michael made his usual silent approach. “May I speak to you?”

Walter’s tools clattered down. “Michael! You startled me. Is Sugar with you?” Walter looked at Michael’s face and realized that this was not a social call. His smile turned to a look of concern. “Is something wrong with her?”

“No. She’s fine. This is about…something else.” Michael hesitated, suddenly wondering if this was such a good idea. He had to be honest, though. Other than Nikita and Walter, there wasn’t anyone he felt comfortable talking to. “It’s about Adam.”

Walter sensed that something was very wrong. Michael’s first reaction would have been to talk to Nikita, and if he wasn’t, there must be a reason. He sat down, indicating that Michael should take the other bench. “You got my attention. Spill it.”

“Elena’s dead, and Mick wants to know if I want Adam to raise.”

“Jesus, kid, you sure don’t ever have easy problems to solve. Let me guess. You want Adam, but you aren’t sure what Sugar will do and you don’t think he’ll be safe.”

“Not quite. I know what she’ll do. Nikita will insist that we take him, but I don’t think it’s a good idea. She won’t understand my reasons.”

“Have you thought about telling her the reasons? She may be more perceptive than you think.” Michael raised an eyebrow. “Maybe you’re right. I love Sugar, but she does tend to think with her heart first and then her head. What are your other options?”

“Mick has Adam with a foster family right now. He can stay there, or I could move him somewhere else. I just don’t know where.”

Walter shook his head. “I don’t envy you this decision. I really can’t help you, but if you need someone to talk to and you’re sure that Nikita won’t understand, I’m here for you.”

Michael looked at the older man. “Thank you Walter. That may be enough.” Michael nodded and turned away.

“Any time, amigo.” Walter picked up his tools again. Somehow, he had a feeling that he was committing himself to a lot more than being a sounding board. Before he had a chance to get started again, Nikita stormed into the room

***

Michael had just sat back down at his computer when the door slammed back against the wall. He dropped behind the desk, rolling and aiming his pistol at the same time. He looked up to see Nikita glaring at him.

“Why didn’t you tell me? Nikita’s eyes blazed behind her 9mm. “This is NOT a Section problem. I will not be ignored or avoided when it comes to our home.”

Briefly, Michael wondered at her use of the word home. Under the circumstances he couldn’t spare the time to be too pleased, but he filed it away to think about later. “Mick told you about Adam.”

“You’re damn right he told me. He thought I already knew, and asked if we’d made a decision. Do you hear that? We. That means both of us. I realize that Adam’s your son, but you could have at least TOLD me what was going on. This is not a difficult concept, Michael. Walter knew what happened. What were you afraid I would do?” Nikita paused for breath. She didn’t put away the gun. She still hadn’t decided whether he needed to be put in Medical for a few days to teach him a lesson. This explanation had better be good, because Armani didn’t make crutches.

“I don’t want to bring him home.” Michael braced himself, putting his gun down. She was less likely to shoot an unarmed man. He hoped. He stood up slowly, moving to take her hands.

“If I were you, I wouldn’t move. I mean it, Michael. What’s wrong with you? Other than the obvious total disregard for me and our relationship.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know what to do, because you would want Adam with us, and I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Michael tried to communicate his sincerity with his eyes, a method that had almost always worked before.

“Knock it off. Listen to me very carefully, Michael.” Nikita lowered the gun.

Michael took a step forward, and she snapped it back into position. “I said listen. Not move.” Michael backed up. “I want you to remember this.”

Michael didn’t think now was the time to tell her he never forgot being held at gunpoint. He suspected that she wasn’t in the mood for sarcasm, and he knew that her personal weapon was always loaded. “I’m listening.”

“I don’t want Adam to live with us either. No, don’t interrupt. Let me finish.” Nikita waved the gun to emphasize her point. “It isn’t safe, not when we tend to shoot first and ask questions later. There are too many chances that he’ll find something dangerous, or something we can’t explain. We aren’t home more than a few days at a time, and there are too many people who want us both dead. There are a million reasons why Adam can’t live with us, and I understand them all. What I cannot fathom is why you don’t have enough faith in me to discuss something this important.”

Michael realized how much of a mistake he had made. The knowledge that Walter had made the same mistake wasn’t as comforting as it could have been. Walter wasn’t the one who was going to spend the rest of the week sleeping on the couch. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think.”

Nikita supposed that was the best he could do. She knew by now that the less Michael said, the more sincere he was. She shrugged and put her gun away. “So what are we going to do about Adam?”

The worst was apparently over. Michael took a deep breath. “I don’t know. I never thought I’d have to worry about it.”

“What about Nicole? Could she take him? I realize it would be asking a lot, but I know she’s been trying to adopt a child. You could take care of Adam and reestablish contact with her at the same time.”

Michael chose not to wonder how she knew about his sister. Mick was involved in this, no doubt. Much as he disliked the little rat, Michael had to admit that it was still a good idea. Security for his sister’s family was already in place, and it was easier to guard one location than two. If he hadn’t been so overwhelmed by the news that Elena was dead, he might have thought of it himself. “What would I say? Sorry you thought I was dead for fifteen years, would you mind raising my son for me while I go fight evil? She won’t even recognize me.”

Nikita looked thoughtful. “Do you want her to know you’re alive?”

“No.”

“And what about Adam?”

Michael sighed. “How would I explain it to him? To lose his father, and then his mother, and then lose his father again?”

Nikita nodded her head. “Well, that’s settled, then. We’ll need a go-between. It would make sense for it to be me, since Adam already knows me as family, but I guess that has more security problems than we can deal with. Plus, I don’t know how I could pass myself off to your sister as a long-lost cousin. It will have to be someone you trust, who can explain things without giving away any secure information. Do you trust anyone?”

“Walter.”

Nikita didn’t show her surprise. She’d spent years watching Michael, and some of it had rubbed off. “Walter, then. Shall you ask him, or shall I?”

“I’ll do it. I need to talk to him about something anyway.”

Nikita called out down the hallway as he stalked off. “It wasn’t his fault! I threatened to make him an Abeyance Op if he didn’t tell me. And I would have, too! As a matter of fact, if this ever happens again, I’ll send you both out!”

She giggled as Michael stiffened his shoulders but then walked on without looking back. As he rounded the corner, she pulled out her cellphone. “Mick? We’re all set… No, he agreed right away…Of course I know this is only temporary…Do you have a better idea? I didn’t think so. Call me when you have a location for the introduction.”

***

Michael stood in the shadows, watching Adam and his newly discovered “Uncle Walter” ring the bell. Nicole’s husband answered, inviting both in with a quick pitying look for the little boy who had lost both parents so tragically.

The cover story had been a mixture of fact and fiction. As far as Adam was concerned, this was his daddy’s sister and her family, and he was going to live with them from now on. He was too confused by his mother’s death to ask why he hadn’t met this aunt before. Walter would check in on occasion, but the family would have no contact with anyone else in Section. Nicole had needed more convincing.

Walter explained that Michael’s work for “The Government” had kept him from contacting his sister. He also told the sad story of Michael’s death while visiting his wife in the hospital, and produced a will granting custody to his sister should anything happen to him and to Elena. Included in the will was a trust fund for Adam and a substantial inheritance for Nicole and her family.

Once Nicole recovered from the initial shock of her brother’s second “death” she readily agreed to take care of Adam, seeing him as the last remaining link to her family.

Walter only asked that Nicole wait to tell Adam the truth about his father until she was given permission. Nikita had made it clear that he was to be kept ignorant as long as possible. She had also contacted Nicole herself, filling in a few more details of Adam’s life and giving a number that Nicole could use to reach her if anything went wrong.

As the door closed behind his son, Michael asked himself again if this was the best thing for all of them. He wished that things could be different, but knew that the only way to keep his family safe was to keep them as far from the Agency as possible. He turned and walked to the car.

***

Nikita wasn’t home when Michael opened the front door, but her bag was on the kitchen counter. She was probably out running, taking advantage of the small freedoms that came with moving to Oversight.

He started making dinner. Once the soup was ready, he left everything on the stove to go set the table. This wasn’t a celebration dinner, but it had been months since he and Nikita had manage to be in the same city, let alone the same apartment.

Subconsciously, he suspected that the candlelight and flowers were an attempt to distract her from asking about Adam. It probably wouldn’t work, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t going to try. He was settled into his new life, Walter said everyone was doing fine, and that was enough for Michael. If anything important came up, he was sure to hear about it. Until then, it was best to leave well enough alone.

Just as the roast approached the point where it would have to be thrown out instead of eaten, Nikita came in. “That smells wonderful. Give me just a sec to change and I’ll be right in. We need to talk.”

Michael served dinner, then sat down to wait. The candles and flowers hadn’t even slowed her down. He braced himself for the assault. Nikita walked by the table, and then returned carrying a glass of water. “No wine for me, thanks. I stopped in at Medical this afternoon and they suggested I cut back.”

“You went to Medical? Is something wrong?” Michael’s mind flipped through the past few months. She hadn’t been on any missions in over a year. It was possible one of the old bullet wounds had been acting up, but she hadn’t mentioned anything. She had been looking pale, but it was mostly because she didn’t get enough sleep. Michael knew that he wasn’t the only one having nightmares.

“Actually, Mick suggested I stop in. He said I haven’t been myself lately. He gave me a choice: either get a physical or take a forced leave of absence.”

“Why didn’t you take the downtime?” Michael pictured himself coming home to an apartment every night that had Nikita in it, instead of a call from whatever corner of the globe she was evaluating that week.

“He also specified that I would be on Close Quarters Standby for the duration of the leave.”

“Oh. So what did the doctor say?”

Nikita shrugged her shoulders. “Not much. He just said to take it easy for a few days, take my vitamins, and get plenty of sleep. Oh, and no smoking or drinking for the next seven and a half months.”

“Seven and a half months?” It was such a strange time period. If he didn’t know better, he’d almost suspect that she was…

“I’m pregnant.” Nikita held back her smile, waiting to see how Michael felt about this new turn of events. She had meant all her claims about understanding his fears for Adam, but this was a different situation. After all, Adam had somewhere else to go, and he was already confused about his parents. This child, on the other hand, would be born in the Agency. That created an entirely different set of problems, but problems that could be solved. She hoped.

“Pregnant.” Michael found himself at a loss. He honestly didn’t know how he felt, or what to do. “How long have you known about this? How could this have happened?”

Nikita’s face fell. “It happened the same way it always does, Michael. I just found out. I mean, I suspected something was wrong, but I wasn’t sure. I thought you’d be pleased.” She tried not to burst into tears. This was not at all how she had imagined this conversation going.

“Pleased?” Whatever he was feeling, pleased was not the word. This was a potential disaster for both of them. “Does anyone else know?”

“Of course not. I wanted to tell you first. I don’t understand, Michael. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. Except how do you think Mick’s going to react to the idea of a nursery in Oversight? And I can’t see his associates liking the idea of operatives with families. Especially not operatives like us.” Michael’s mind raced. If no one knew yet, than it wasn’t too late for Nikita to request that downtime. She could do her job from home, and then when it came closer to her due date…but where were they going to send the baby to raise? Michael searched his brain for a solution to this.

“Michael, stop. I haven’t told Mick yet, but I know that he’ll be fine. As will everyone else. We’ve already discussed this possibility.”

“What?” For the second time that night, Michael felt like the room was spinning. What in the world was going on?

“Michael, there are a few things I haven’t told you yet. And I will, eventually. Just not yet. Trust me, though, this is going to be fine.”

“Trust you.” Michael promised himself to start scanning files as soon as he got back to Section. He wanted to know what was going on.

“Yes. Trust me. I will tell you this, though. We have a lot more freedom in the Agency than Paul and Madeline ever allowed. We’ll be fine. All of us.”

Michael felt a wave of bitterness wash over him. “All of us. If we have so much freedom, why were you so eager to send Adam off? Or isn’t he included in this freedom you keep talking about?”

Nikita shook her head. “That was unnecessary. Adam couldn’t stay with us because I didn’t have things set up yet. Besides, you agreed that it wasn’t a good idea. I still don’t have everything ready, so he’ll need to stay with Nicole for a few more months, but he’ll be fine until then. I really can’t say any more than that. I understand that you’re upset, but I can’t do anything else. You just need to trust me.”

Michael stood up abruptly. “I can’t do that.” He stormed out of the apartment, and Nikita heard the roar of his motorcycle outside the window. She walked to the phone.

“Mick. I told him…No, not about that, just the baby…Yes, I know I should have waited. Just have him followed, okay? I don’t want anything to happen…Yes, you were right. Just do it, okay?…Mick. Shut up. Call me when you find out where he’s gone. I’ll be in tomorrow…No, I do not want to tell you how it went. I just want to get some sleep…I’m hanging up now…Mick, if you don’t knock it off you’re going to wish you only had my father to answer to. Now get me a location on Michael.”

Nikita hung up the phone. Michael would be fine once he cooled down. He was probably scanning her file already, trying to figure out what was going on. He hated to be kept in the dark. Eventually, he’d come back and play the silent and offended role for a while, but she knew once everything was explained he’d understand the need for secrecy. Until then, he’s just have to deal with the idea of not knowing. It wasn’t as if they’d never kept things from each other before.

***

Six months later, Nikita was beginning to wonder if things were ever going to be ready. Michael was speaking to her again, or at least he was using the monosyllables necessary to plan for a new baby. He hadn’t mentioned Adam or Nicole since the night Nikita had told him of the pregnancy, but that wasn’t really surprising. Instead, he had silently gone out, bought a house, moved their belongings to it, and then dropped Nikita unceremoniously on the front lawn with the keys. He left that night for a mission in Kathmandu, and hadn’t been back since.

Nikita hadn’t had the heart to complain about being left out of the decisions. No one knew better than she did that Michael would heal in his own time, and pushing for a reconciliation would only make things worse. It didn’t make the nights any less lonely, but Walter had been acting like an expectant grandfather for months, buying toys and keeping her company when ice cream and pickles weren’t enough.

She climbed down from the ladder, stretching her aching back and sinking into a nearby chair. Nikita surveyed her handiwork, trying to decide if the mural was complete. Trains, boats, cars, and planes circled the walls in bright primary colors. It was perfect for a small boy who had already survived a very complicated life. Nicole had begun shipping Adam’s things over to the house while he was away at camp. She had also given Nikita his address, and suggested that he be warned about the change that was about to take place.

Nikita was grateful for Nicole’s grounding presence. She was very different from Michael, outgoing and happy, but there was also an inner beauty that she shared with her brother. The two of them would have been very close under different circumstances. Now that Nicole knew that her brother was alive, she was waiting patiently for Nikita to orchestrate a reunion. Nikita knew that patience took an inner strength of character that she herself did not possess, and was doing the best she could to speed up the process. She hoped in time that Nicole could become the link Michael needed to overcome his past.

Nikita awakened from her reverie to the sound of the front door. She rose awkwardly from the chair, muttering about the loss of coordination that came with her changing shape. At least she had been taken off active duty. Instead, she supervised Oversight from home and continued evaluating the Agency through field reports. There was no such thing as maternity leave in counter-terrorism, but there were ways to keep key personnel involved without requiring them to keep up field op status. Nikita began to make her way downstairs. “Walter? Is that you? I want you to come up and see the room.” She stopped at the bottom of the stairs. “Michael. What are you doing here?”

She was breathtaking. Elena had been happy during her pregnancy, but Nikita, even with paint in her hair and a flannel shirt that must have come from Walter’s ragbag, positively shone with contentment. Michael mentally kicked himself for staying away so long. He had missed months of time with her, months that they would never be able to regain. “I missed you, too.” Michael crossed his arms, waiting for a reaction.

“Of course I missed you. I just didn’t expect you back, after…” Nikita stopped in confusion. She had been abandoned. Why did she feel this need to apologize? And why was it so hard to breathe suddenly?

“After I walked out and left you to fend for yourself? That’s what you were going to say, isn’t it?”

“Yes. It was, actually. What do you expect me to think? It’s been six months, and I’ve barely heard from you, let alone seen you. I understand that you’re upset, but this is a little excessive even for you.” Nikita felt better now that she was no longer on the defensive.

Michael counted to ten. “Excessive? We spent years fighting to have any relationship at all, and once we have one you announce that there was no need to worry, we could do whatever we wanted. I understand that some things are need-to-know, but couldn’t this freedom have been mentioned earlier? Like, say, before your emotions were wiped and before I came within fifty feet of being made mincemeat by the Collective?” Michael allowed the bitterness he had nursed for months to creep into his voice. “I think that given the sheer number of lies you’ve told in the last five years, I’m entitled to be…excessive.”

This was going nowhere. Nikita offered an olive branch. “Point taken. Can we argue about this later? I want to show you something.” She held out her hand.

Michael sensed that an explanation was coming. He followed Nikita up the stairs, walking past the master bedroom and stopping outside the nursery door. The walls were covered in a pattern of blocks and balls, all carefully balanced. Not really an infant sort of decor, but it was unique. “It turned out well.”

Nikita tugged him further down the hall. “Yes. Walter chose the design. He said it was never too early to learn about physics. I think he’s decided to buy the baby a chemistry set for the christening, if we have one. Here. This is it.”

Michael found himself outside a sunny bedroom filled with boxes and plastic-covered furniture. “Who is this for?”

“Adam.” Nikita looked cautiously over at Michael.

He looked away, then stepped into the room. Running his hands along the furniture, he asked in a whisper, “How is this possible?”

“I told you everything would be fine. He’s at camp right now, but he’ll be back next week. Nicole thought that you might like to go with her to pick him up.”

“But she…and he doesn’t…” Michael stopped, at a loss.

“I think it’s time I finished explaining things to you. Can we go back downstairs, though? I’ve been painting all morning, and we’re famished.” Nikita sensed that Michael would stay, at least long enough for this conversation that was long overdue. The baby kicked, reminding her that lunch was the next order of business. “Come on, then.”

***

Nikita began pulling things out of the refrigerator, calling over her shoulder, “Do you want anything? I’ve learned to make a passable sandwich. Or there might be some lasagna left from last week.”

“Just some water. I’ll get it myself.” Michael stood to retrieve a glass, then realized that he didn’t know where they were kept. He refused to ask for help, and instead sat back down.

Nikita shut the door and carried her finds over to the counter. “Glasses are next to the sink. Second shelf on the right."” She looked away, concentrating on creating a salad while Michael followed her directions. Her heart thudded, but there was no telling whether it was nervousness or a reaction to his graceful movement. Well, nothing to do but start. “I’ve found out who my father is.”

Michael started to ask how she knew, but then decided to let her tell the story. He nodded and leaned back against the sink.

“At least, I’ve found out who he was. He’s retired, and now I’m supposed to take over for him. Nothing is final, but as soon as the baby’s born, I’m scheduled to start work at Centre. That’s why I couldn’t tell you what was going on before. We had to make sure that you hadn’t been compromised while you were outside.”

Michael knew the drill. He nodded again.

Nikita found that the explaining got easier the longer she talked. “Right. Mick’s my stepbrother.”

Michael’s eyes widened. This was unexpected. “Stepbrother?”

“Well, sort of. It’s hard to describe, but his mother was an operative, a colleague of my father’s. She was killed on a mission. Mick wasn’t his child, but he promised to raise him and keep him safe along with his own child, Michelle. I was, apparently, an accident, the result of his grief over the loss of a friend. Mick and Michelle were raised in the Agency, I was monitored but left alone with my mother. Once I was an adult, they arranged to bring me in.”

Michael sensed that whatever anger Nikita had regarding her childhood and induction to Section One was still there. She had simply pushed it down to deal with more important problems. “And once you were in?”

Nikita looked thoughtful. “I was being tested. Paul and Madeline never knew who I was, so they reacted the way they would have to any other rebellious operative.”

“And if you had failed?”

“I’d be dead. My father would have been sorry, but he wouldn’t have interfered. I had to prove myself.”

Michael walked slowly over to the counter. “And so you did.”

“Yes.” Nikita rushed to finish before his proximity drove away her train of thought. “And once I had done that, everything fell into place. My father contacted me, told me the truth, and left it to me to deal with you. I knew Adam couldn’t move in with us until the change of power was complete, so I arranged for him to live with Nicole. I wanted to tell you everything, but there was no way to explain without telling you about my father, and I couldn’t do that.”

“I see.” Michael decided that the bulk of the story was complete. He could find out the details later. He leaned forward, smiling when Nikita’s breath caught in her throat. “And what happens now that you’ve filled me in?”

“Well, you’ll stay at Section One, and I’ll be transferred to Centre. I won’t being going out into the field after the baby is born, so at least one of us will be around for the children. Nicole has agreed to visit whenever we both need to be gone, so there will always be an adult that Adam trusts. It’s the perfect Agency family.” Nikita tried to laugh, but her eyes filled with tears instead. “It’s the best I could do.”

Michael drew her close, looking deep into her eyes, trying to convey his love and his gratitude. “It’s perfect.” He realized how inadequate the phrase was, but couldn’t think of anything better. “You’re perfect.”

Nikita laughed with relief. He had forgiven her, and even if things weren’t perfect, at least they were together. “I’m huge. But thanks for the effort.”

Michael shook his head. “No. You’re perfect. And I’ve missed you.” He felt his knees wobble as they kissed. His love hit like a wave, forcing him to lean back against the counter for support.

Nikita pulled back, a look of concern in her eyes. She took a moment to catch her breath, and then asked, “Do you want to know the sex of the baby?”

Michael nodded. “Did they tell you?”

“Not exactly. I had the doctor write it down in case you came back.” Nikita reached into a nearby drawer and removed a thin envelope. “So who gets to open it?”

“We’ll flip a coin.” Michael handed Nikita the coin, and then called heads while it was in the air. It was tails.

“All right, then. Here goes.” Nikita tore open the envelope and then handed the sheet of paper to Michael. “I can’t look.”

Michael took the paper. “It’s a girl.” His eyes shone. “A girl.”

“We’ll need a girl’s name then.” Nikita leaned back into Michael’s arms, feeling safe for the first time in months. “I wonder if Walter has any ideas.”