Mission after mission had been given to Nikita. Sometimes with no rest, sometimes with bullets still in her arm, leg, or shoulder. Nikita did not give up, but she didn't think about anything else. It was the worst form of solitude that could be given to anyone. Her team was never the same, and rarely was she on a team with Michael. They had been separated.

This time, Nikita held her arm in the sling, waiting for the next mission to be loaded to her PDA. She sat on a chair, just away from Communications, just waiting. Nikita felt that there was no reason for her to leave, she will only be called back, and quickly.

Nikita stares straight ahead at the glass wall that separates communications from the hallway. She stares at it and sees herself in the reflection. She was just a shadow in Section One now. She had never felt that way, but now, it was true. Walter only handed over guns to her and Birkoff never spoke to her.

Nikita knew they were trying to protect themselves from the death they thought Nikita would soon recieve. Nikita could not blame them. Nikita turns her head as she hears steps on the catwalk just off to her right. She looks up and stares. It was like her eyes were a zooming camera as she saw the face and the body and the walk. Nikita trains her eyes on him as he walks to the stairs and walks down them, as if nothing had occurred.

Nikita feels her jaw tighten as emotions boil throughout her body. She feels her right eye twitch as she forces the memories away. She will not think of them. She can't, because it is important to her survival that she clears her mind out.

He turns his head and sees the girl sitting in the chair. He turns his head away and then turns back as he notices who it was. He looks at her and their eyes connect. She is just staring and nothing was behind those eyes. He nods his head and turns away and goes back down the hall.

"You've trained her well." He says in the deep and rusty like voice as he stands outside the door of Michael's office.

Michael lifts his head up at the voice and looks at him with the same stare that was on Nikita's face. Michael doesn't register the meaning of the statement, just who said it.

"Jurgen." Michael says tensely. Jurgen nods his head and walks away from the office. Michael stares at the door way and then back to his desk. Michael pulls his hands away from the keyboard as his mind starts to spin. Jurgen had information that he used to hold Section One hostage. Was it the same information that Nikita had before destroying it?

==================

Maybe it wasn't a wise decision, but Michael had made it before he even rose from his chair. It was too late to turn back by the time he passed his door and once in the hall, it had to be done.

"Nikita, my office." Michael orders from the same spot that Jurgen had looked at Nikita. She only uses her eyes to look at Michael.

"I do not report to you any longer, Michael." Nikita bitterly replies. In fact, it had been over eight months since she last talked to Michael and that sat hard in her stomach.

"Nikita, my office." Michael orders again, this time deeper and louder. Nikita looks at him and turns her eyes away. She didn't have time for Michael's games. She had finally gotten him out of her every thought, and now he was back. The tension was in the air while Michael stepped towards Nikita and before he got half way, Nikita stood up and kept her head from facing Michael.

"Might want to show me where your office is... I think I forget." Nikita comments as she follows behind Michael.

Michael closes his eyes and walks calmly to the office. He holds the door open for Nikita and then closes it.

"Jurgen is back." Michael comments and Nikita only blinks her eyes at Michael

. "You did know that, right?" Michael asks and Nikita tilts her head slightly.

"I saw him." Nikita says and stands up.

"Where are you going?" Michael demands and Nikita turns back to him.

"I should be having this discussion with my mentor, not you." Nikita says and walks out of the office. Michael stares at the door as it swings bac ktowards his face. Michael leans back in his chair. He takes a deep breath and turns back to his work. Nikita doesn't wander far from his mind.

=================

Nikita walked to the office and slid into the stairwell. She looked down at the white office, and was surprised that it was about the same as it was before. She slowly goes down the stairs and stops half way. Jurgen looks up and looks straight into Nikita's eyes. Nikita smiles briefly and continues down to him.

"How are you, Nikita?" Jurgen asks in that deep voice that Nikita shakes with hearing. It had been a long time.

"Other than being shot almost weekly, fine." Nikita says as she sits down and looks at his game of GO.

"I heard about what you tried to do. You should have held onto the information." Jurgen says and Nikita looks at him.

"You mean, play it like you did?" Nikita asks as she curls her feet upon the chair. Jurgen looks at Nikita and Nikita looks at the game.

"I tried to learn to play." Nikita says and Jurgen looks at her.

"Some people aren't meant to play this game." Jurgen says and Nikita lifts her head and looks away.

"Why aren't you with Michael?" Jurgen asks and Nikita smiles.

"Part of my punishment. Mission after mission, with direct contact with Madeline herself." Nikita says and Jurgen pushes back from his chair and stares at Nikita.

"I meant, why aren't you with Michael?" Jurgen says and Nikita takes a long breath.

"That has been Michael's decision." Nikita says as she lifts her head and stares at Jurgen. Jurgen steps back and rubs his face.

"They consulted me on your punishment." Jurgen reveals and Nikita bites down on her bottom lip.

"Then why did I live? It was for, Michael, right?" Nikita asks with tears in her eyes.

"No." Jurgen says and Nikita shakes her head no with tears running down her face.

"You're lying. You had them spare me so that Michael can live...Michael is your prized pupil... he is why everyone has kept me alive." Nikita says as she turns and walks back up the stairs.

"And has he been good to you?" Jurgen asks and Nikita stops.

"After we thought you blew up, the only time we were together, were under orders. And to be exact. Today was the first time in over eight months that we have spoken." Nikita says and walks up the stairs quickly.

She exits into the hallway and pulls her arm out of the sling. She lifts both hands to her face to wipe her tears away.

====================

The room was glaring at Nikita as she entered. All four sets of eyes looked at her as she sat down and stared straight ahead.

"Hello, Nikita." Operations says and Nikita only blinks her eyes. Off to her right side sits Michael and Jurgen. In front of her, Operations and Madeline.

"How many missions have you had in the aftermath, Nikita?" Operations asks and Nikita lifts her chin.

"Two hundred and fourteen." Nikita says and Operations nods his head.

"And sixteen aborts." Madeline adds in and Operations does not note Madeline's comment.

"To be honest, Nikita. I didn't think you would make it pass twenty-five of these missions." Operations says. Nikita looks at Operations looks at Michael and Jurgen. Nikita follows his glance.

"And you, Michael?" Nikita asks and Michael blinks and lifts his chin.

"Sixty, tops." Michael says and Nikita tries to hide her reaction. Michael turns to Jurgen.

"I didn't think you would make it this far." Jurgen says and Madeline tsks from the corner and Nikita turns her head quickly to Madeline.

"You didn't think she would even make it to the first mission. You said she had too much pride." Madeline retorts and Nikita looks at Jurgen and then away.

"So no one here thought I would still be alive." Nikita reports and Operations looks at Madeline.

"Not everyone. So, since you have done a fine job in re-establishing our faith in you... we are going to reassign you to a team." Operations says and Nikita looks to the two men off to her side.

"I'd rather report to Madeline." Nikita says and Operations looks at Michael and Jurgen.

"Both of them are short on their teams. We don't know where we want you quite yet. You will be tried with both teams." Operations says and Nikita stares at Michael and then Jurgen. Jurgen is the only one who looks at her.

"Michael... prep the next mission, you will be monitoring from in house.

Nikita, Jurgen, you will be on the inside." Operations announces and Michael stands up. Nikita does not turn her head and she feels Michael stand up and leave the room.

Jurgen stands up and moves closer to Nikita to finish the briefing.

==================================================

Nikita looks into the mirror at the spiral curled hair and smiles as she pushes it back off of her face. She looks at the long blue dress and lifts her head up and adjusts the threadlike straps to her dress.

"Nikita, ready?" Jurgen asks as he pulls open the mission van's door and looks in. He stops and looks at Nikita as she steps out of the van and licks her red lips and smiles broadly.

"It has been a long time since I wore a dress on a mission." Nikita comments as Jurgen takes her arm and leads her into the party inside the target's house. There is very little security and Nikita thought that the mission was given to her just to see if she could handle the dressing again.

The music takes Nikita's body almost immediately and Jurgen smiles as he allows his hands to run over the material of the dress that separates his hands from her stomach. Nikita leans her head back and looks across the room.

"Target by the punch bowl." Nikita whispers softly as she winks at Jurgen. He nods at her and they slowly walk over.

"Nikita, make the move." Michael orders over the units and Nikita smiles and walks away from Jurgen.

"Hello..." Nikita says coolly as she leans into the very handsome target. She looks at him with her blue eyes and smiles.

"A friend of yours paid for my services... would you like them here?" Nikita asks as she runs her hands down the silk shirt. The man instantly responds to her touch.

"Upstairs..." The man says and Nikita slowly starts to walk out of the room.The man is about to reach around Nikita's waist as they enter the empty hallway. Nikita turns with the little gun pulled out her bra and smiles at the man.

"You will come with me." Nikita says and the man starts to laugh until Jurgen's gun is placed against his head.

"Mission Van is pulling up." Michael says and cuts off the communications.

=========================

Nikita walks into Section with a smile on her face as the target is escorted down the hallway. Nikita twirls the cord purse up on her finger and slings her head off to the side. It was a mission that she did not come in all covered in mud and sweat. It felt wonderful.

"You look beautiful in that shade of blue." The soft french accent drifts from above her head. Nikita walks down and turns so she can look up at the black dressed Michael.

"Thank you." Nikita replies and then turns her head.

"You did good today." Michael says and Nikita nods her head as she hears more footsteps nearby.

"Nikita..." The deep and gravelly voice calls to her and Nikita turns around. Jurgen smiles and looks to the wall.

"I know you haven't been in your apartment for a while... can I help you clean up?" Jurgen asks and Nikita drops her head.

"No." Nikita remarks and out of the corner of her eye she watches Michael disappear into a room with a smile on his face.

"Actually... I have some shopping to do first... but I could really use the help." Nikita says and Jurgen takes her arm in his.

"I think you are dressed perfectly fine for shopping." Jurgen says and Nikita laughs softly as they turn and head out of Section without heading any further into Section One.

========================

Nikita smiles as Jurgen throws the towel at her. Nikita walks to the kitchen to check on the stuffed mushrooms. She takes a long sip at her wine and smiles at Jurgen.

"How long has it been since you were here last?" Jurgen jokes and Nikita drops her head in embarassment.

"About six weeks." Nikita says and Jurgen looks to the bathroom. He picks up a bucket and heads into the bathroom.

KNOCK-KNOCK

Nikita looks to the bathroom and heads towards the door. She looks at the spot that her security camera had once been. Madeline had it taken out. Nikita opens the door and almost jumps as she sees Michael.

"Michael... what are you doing here?" Nikita asks as she looks to the ground.

"You are cooking.. can I come in?" Michael asks as he tries to see around Nikita's head. Nikita pushes Michael out into the hall and partially closes the door.

"Actually, I have company." Nikita says and Michael nods his head and starts to turn away. NIkita blinks her eyes and grabs his arm.

"What did you expect me to do?" Nikita asks and Michael looks to the room.

"So your feelings for him always stayed." Michael says and Nikita closes her eyes.

"Michael.. for the past eight months I haven't heard a word from you. I haven't seen you and from what I could tell, you didn't care." Nikita starts out with a level voice but emotion slowly drips in. "For eight months you were in the same area I was.. and never made an attempt to say hello or even goodbye. You turned your head away from me each time I looked. Jurgen hasn't done that to me." Nikita says and Michael looks sadly into Nikita's eyes. Nikita feels the tears dropping down her face and pushes the door open a bit more.

"He is not what my heart truly wants and truly needs... but I need something, and I can't wait for you again." Nikita says with tears rolling down her face.

She takes her hands around Michael's face and kisses the top of his forehead. "It isn't what I would dream for... but I need something." Nikita says as she enters her apartment and looks back at Michael.

"Go home, Michael." Nikita says as she closes the door and sees Jurgen standing behind her.

"More wine?" Nikita asks as she forces the smile on her face.

===================

Nikita jumps into the van and pulls over the mask as Michael pulls the door close. Jurgen looks up and smiles at Nikita. The mission had gone smoothly.

"Why hasn't it exploded?" Michael asks Birkoff and Birkoff looks at Michael and then the computer.

"Malfunction." Birkoff says and Michael pulls open the door.

"I'll go set another one." Michael says and Birkoff stands up.

"No time. Only a minute left. You would never get back out." Birkoff says and Nikita takes the devise out of Michael's hand.

"See... I knew they would get me canceled sooner or later." Nikita says and Jurgen runs to the doorway.

"Nikita... No!" Jurgen says and Nikita smiles at him and blows him a kiss and turns to run. He pulls out his gun and shoots at Nikita's leg.

Michael stares at Jurgen as he runs to Nikita and pulls the explosive out of her hand as she rolls around in pain.

"Why? I am the one who should die." Nikita cries out as she keeps back the pain of the injury.

"Because only two people could be truly happy in that van.. and it wasn't going to be me and Michael together forever." Jurgen says and he turns and runs into the building. Nikita feels the tears running down her face as she sits up and looks at the mess of her ankle.

"HE HAD TO USE THE EXPLODING BULLETS!" Nikita screams in pain and she looks back at the van and then to the building.

"Five... four.. three... two... one..." Birkoff counts down and Nikita leans over her body as the explosion rumbles the ground.

"Nikita.. get in here." Michael hisses out and Nikita rolls to her side and slams her hands into the ground.

"HE USED THE SPECIALS!" Nikita screams and Michael rushes out to pick Nikita up. Nikita helps to hold her ankle so that it did not detach from her leg.

======================

Michael walks into Madeline's office and stands still. She looks up from the computer.

"Jurgen shot Nikita. He planted the explosive." Michael says and Madeline raises an eyebrow.

"Did he survive?" Madeline asks and Michael shakes his head no slightly.

"Good, Nikita completed her mission." Madeline says and turns away. Michael stands and looks at Madeline.

"Mission?" Michael asks and Madeline turns.

"She was to get Jurgen to go into the building tonight." Madeline says and Michael stares at her.

"No.. tell me, Madeline." Milchael says and Madeline sits straight up.

"Jurgen was getting his information from Adrian. He wasn't to survive that blast the first time, but he did. We knew this when Nikita went away for a couple months. During that time we knew we had to get rid of Adrian so Jurgen would come back. But for him to come back.. he had to think someone was on his side." Madeline says and Michael blinks his eyes.

"Nikita.. she did everything as part of a plan!" Michael almost hollers.

"Yes... the trial.. it was a plot to regain the trust of Jurgen. She then used what she knew about him to get him into the bomb again." Madeline says and Michael steps back.

"Ah.. well.. Nikita's ankle is being reconstructed. He used an exploding bullet." Michael says and walks out of the office.

Michael is stunned. All 214 missions that Nikita had busted her butt on, where all plans. Nikita was never in danger in any of them. For well over a year, Nikita had been playing him. Michael turns and decides to see Nikita in Medlab.

======================

Michael walks into Medlab and looks around. He walks to the surgery rooms and then walks to the doctors.

"Where is Nikita?" Michael demands and the doctor looks over to another doctor.

"I took care of her." The doctor says and Michael stares at him.

"Where is she?" Michael asks.

"She came out of the surgery two hours ago. Within a half hour, with the cast on, She decided it was time to go home." The doctor says and Michael turns and walks out quickly.

*********

Michael opens Nikita's apartment to have a gun pointed at him.

"Michael.. what are you doing here?" Nikita asks as she sets the gun down.

Michael walks over and tenderly picks up her ankle and sets it on his lap.

"We have the entire couch. Why do you have to sit there?" Nikita challenges Michael.

"You are to be in Medlab.. but since you are here... I want to make you comfortable." Michael says and Nikita looks at him.

"And what if I said my head hurt?" Nikita asks. Michael slowly places the ankle back down and walks to her head and lifts it up and sits down. Nikita places her head on his lap and closes her eyes softly.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Michael asks as he strokes Nikita's hair softly.

"I couldn't." Nikita says and Michael looks down at her.

"Did you mean what you said the other day..." Michael says softly and Nikita pushes her lips together.

"Michael.. I am so tired.. and just wanted to get the mission over with... Jurgen had to have known that I always loved you." Nikita says and Michael nods his head.

"Were you ever scared?" Michael asks and Nikita looks up.

"I was scared that Jurgen wouldn't shoot me." Nikita says softly.

Michael stays quiet as he helps place Nikita into a deep sleep. The first deep sleep in over eight months.

This story © Copyright 1999, Nikita507