Nikita ran like the wind, dodging left and right, to avoid the branches of the trees as they flew past her.

She knew only a few short moments into the mission, that something had gone wrong. Then, when the gunfire rang out, and operatives started dropping all around her, the only recourse she and Michael had was to run. So, as the battle played out, and the bullets whizzed all around them, they fled.

Michael had pushed Nikita ahead of him, taking the rear. She yelled 'Which way?' and his only answer was to just run. They had no intel on this section of the forest, and had no idea if they were running towards the main road, or only farther from it. All they knew was that, if they wanted to live, they had to run. And, that was exactly what they did.

Nikita ran deeper into the forest, and after a few moments, she slowed down. The gunfire had ceased and the forest was quiet. So quiet, Nikita's own breathing roared loudly in her ears. She was breathing quite heavily, and was having trouble catching her breath. She bent over, and placing her hands on her knees, coughed and spat. She felt as if she would heave at any minute, and her chest was burning. She made a mental note to herself, that if she survived this, she needed to visit the gym a few more days each week.

Standing back up, she closed her eyes, as a wave a dizziness threatened to bring her to her knees. After taking a few deep breaths, and steadying her breathing, she ventured to open her eyes. She scanned the area all around her, to see if anything looked familiar or helpful. But, to her dismay, she was exactly where she feared...lost.

As she thought this last thought, a branch cracked off to her left, and she swung around, bringing her gun up in front of her. She was greeted with the darkly clothed, equally lost Michael. He walked towards her, scanning the area around them for any unexpected guests.

'We seem to have lost them,' Michael said, as he came to stand in front of Nikita.

Nikita laughed, and shook her head, looking down at the ground. 'That's the understatement of the year,' she muttered.

When she looked back up, she was greeted with the back of Michael's head. He was turned away from her, and was looking up into the trees. Nikita, looking up, tried to see what it was that he was looking at or for.

At that moment, another branch cracked behind her. She barely had time to react. Before she knew it, Michael had thrown himself at her, knocking her to the ground. They both landed with a thud, and the wind was totally knocked out of Nikita by the weight of Michael on top of her. But, there was something else wrong too.

When Michael had pushed Nikita to the ground, she had struck her head. Now, as she looked up at Michael, and tried to focus on his face, she felt a warm and fuzzy feeling spread throughout her, reaching all the way to her brain. In the next moment, as Michael moved off of her, she felt as if she were floating.

As the darkness closed in around her, the last thing she heard was Michael, speaking her name...Nikita?

*******

Nikita's first conscious thought, was of the warmth, and comfort she felt. Then, as she slowly came back to consciousness, she realized the warmth was from a nearby campfire. The comfort she felt was that of the jacket wrapped snuggly around her. It was Michaels, and it smelled of his cologne.

She inhaled deeply, allowing her eyes to flutter closed, and remember. A time when they were together, unencumbered, and free to be themselves.

She smiled, and was so engrossed in the thought, that she had not heard Michael's approach.

'Feeling better?' he asked.

Nikita opened her eyes, and found him standing on the opposite side of the campfire, his arms loaded with wood. As he bent over, and dropped the logs, she moved to sit up.

'Yes, much better. What happened?' she asked.

Michael threw a few of the logs on the flames, and moved around the campfire to a position closer to Nikita. 'You hit your head on a rock,' he said.

Nikita replayed the events in her mind, and although they were a little fuzzy, remembered them for the most part. 'Yeah, now I remember. There was a noise, you jumped me, and then ...' she said, lost in thought.

Michael only stared into the fire, as if lost in thought himself.

'So, what is the plan?' Nikita asked a few moments later.

Michael picked up one of the smaller twigs, and poked at the fire, making the flames belch sparks into the air. The smell of the burning wood had a toasty air to it, but Nikita found herself pulling the jacket even more snuggly around her.

'Section will use our clock crystals to locate us, and will send a team in for egress,' he said, poking absentmindedly at the flames.

'How long will that take?' Nikita asked.

Michael looked to her, and without any acknowledgement of emotion on his face, answered. 'A few hours at the most.'

Michael was still looking towards Nikita, when a chill caused her to shiver. Getting up, and walking over, he sat down next to her, and tried to draw her into his arms. Nikita, caught a little off guard, drew away from Michael.

'Uh, Michael, I don't think....' she stammered.

'You need to keep warm, or else shock can set in,' he replied, then reached out for her. As he pulled her to him, and enveloped her in his embrace, Nikita let out a small sigh. She slowly began to relax, and was soon allowing him to hold her close, safe, and warm.

They sat that way, by the fire for several moments, and then Nikita shifted her position, and looked upward, through the trees. The night sky was scattered with stars, like shiny diamonds thrown onto a velvet canvas. The vision reminded Nikita of her childhood, and as she thought of this, she laughed.

Michael turned to her, and pulling his head back, asked 'What?'

Nikita, still looking at the sky, smiled. 'Its funny, when I was a little girl, I would look up at the night sky, and make a wish.'

Michael's gaze followed Nikitas, and he too looked upward. 'What would you wish for Nikita?' he asked.

Nikita's smile turned slightly sad and melancholy. 'I would wish that I would grow up and become a ballerina. But, it was only a childish wish.'

Michael's gaze returned to the flames dancing in the campfire. After a few moments, he looked to Nikita. 'I'm sorry..' he said.

Nikita turned in his embrace, to look at him. 'Sorry? For what?' she asked.

'That your wish never came true,' he replied.

Nikita only shook her head. Then, as she placed her hand on his chest, and he tightened his embrace around her, she smiled. 'I'm not. Because, if it had, I would never have met you.'

Michael, turning to reply, stopped. In the distance, he heard the approach of helicopters.

Section had located them, and was preparing their egress.

THE END

This story © copyright, TRACE >'-'< 08.10.99