Michael drew his gun and pointed it at Operations. Operations glared angrily at Michael. "Well, isn’t this interesting? All the runaways in one convenient spot? I can hardly believe my luck."

Walter and Birkoff again formed a protective circle around Nikita. But Nikita drew her own gun and pointed it at Operations. Walter secretly applauded the young woman’s courage, knowing she had to be hurting bad from all her wounds, not just the physical ones.

Michael chambered his gun, waiting for Operations to make a move. "You fool, Michael. You could have had it all. Head of Section one day."

"Maybe I don’t dream the same dreams you do, Paul."

"Don’t call me that. It’s an arrogance I can’t forgive."

"Too bad, it’s how I think of you, when I think of you at all."

"You always were short-sighted. You never saw the bigger picture." Operations sneered.

Michael smiled. "And you do?"

Operations smirked. "Of course. My entire life has been devoted to Section. Unlike you. You’re weak, Michael. I thought I had killed all human feeling in you, but no...something still lurks beneath the surface, something I can’t quite get at, something I can’t destroy. I wonder what it is."

Michael laughed uncharacteristically. "You know what it is, Paul. You gave me Nikita, for whatever reasons of your own, and it backfired on you. You never dreamed we would become so close, we were inseparable in spirit. How you must have hated us."

"Not you, Michael, just her. She kept coming between you and me. You and Section. You and the job."

"She was the only thing that made that job bearable at times."

Operations roared in anger. "I thought of you as a son, Michael! You were my heir! To all this! And you gave it up! For what? True love?" He spat the words out, as if even their very taste made him ill.

"No, Paul. Faith. It was the one thing you couldn’t destroy, because it was the one thing Section couldn’t give me. Section steals trust and compassion and love...all those human things you try to extinguish from our souls."

Michael stepped closer to Operations. "Faith. You couldn’t give it because you never had any. I didn’t have any. I was dying, and I didn’t know it. But Nikita gave me hers."

"She saved me." Michael looked conflicted for a moment. "I don’t want to kill you, Paul. But you won’t leave us alone. It’s not in your nature."

Nikita glanced at Michael, wishing things didn’t have to be this way. She knew that now, Michael’s newly restored humanity was making it difficult to give Operations the fate he so richly deserved. But she also knew that Operations was relentless. He would not rest until he had killed Nikita, Michael, and everyone who did not share his philosophy of life. Or death.

Her hand started to shake on the gun. She was losing her fight to stay conscious again. Operations saw her weakness and his eyes narrowed. Michael followed his eyes to Nikita and prayed that she could hold out long enough to finish this once and for all. He was only distracted a moment, but it was long enough for Operations to take advantage of Michael. He grabbed for the gun, and they struggled, the two men fighting for control and their very lives. Michael was stronger, and he easily overpowered Operations. Still, Operations clung to his belief that he would somehow surmount this situation and regain control of Section.

Michael shook his head, as if clearing his mind, and tried to regain his focus. It was hard, but he could do it. If he were not so concerned about Nikita. He deliberately pointed his gun at Operations, but he could not seem to pull the trigger.

Suddenly a shot rang out from behind them. Michael and Nikita turned. It was Madeline. She had shot Operations. Michael looked at her in absolute amazement. He lowered his gun, and gestured to Nikita to do the same. Madeline stepped forward carefully, as if remembering another time she had been this vulnerable.

"He was out of control. I loved him once, you know. But I couldn’t let him destroy you and Nikita, Michael. Just as I couldn’t let you take his life. It would have destroyed you just as surely as if he had canceled you. My life, on the other hand, is already ruined."

"Oh, Madeline." Nikita felt tears start in her eyes, as she realized finally just what the older woman had given up to give her and Michael a new life and a fresh start.

George entered the area quietly, his own gun drawn. "Ah, I see the matter has already been taken care of. Personally. By far, the best way. Eh, Madeline?"

"Yes, George." She answered automatically, as if someone else possessed her body.

"What about Bauer?" Michael inquired.

"It’s been taken care of, Michael," George answered for Madeline. "I’ve always felt we let our double agents have entirely too much freedom. But then, all that may change when you take over Section."

Michael flinched as if struck. "What did you say?"

"The position. Operations’ job. It’s yours, Michael, all you have to do is say yes."

Madeline went limp, letting her gun hand fall to her side. "Yes, Michael, you’ve always been the favorite to take over Section. Come back and run Section with me. We can make a difference."

Nikita nudged Walter, who couldn’t quite close his mouth after hearing that latest entreaty. "Come back to Section? Is she crazy?" They both wondered what Michael would choose, however, when faced with a choice between Section and Nikita.

"And I could bring Nikita back in, George? No questions asked?"

Nikita looked on in horror. She could not guess what was going on in Michael’s mind right now, but she would never have thought he would do this. He was actually considering taking Operations’ job.

George nodded. "Of course."

"And we could still be together?"

George nodded again. "Yes, if you still feel that way about her."

Birkoff whispered to Walter, "I don’t get it, Walter. Michael would come back here? After being free? After marrying Nikita?" Walter’s features grew dark, as he realized that if Michael did in fact do that, it might drive an irrevocable wedge between him and Nikita. He would kill him personally. After all, as George said, it was the best way.

Michael holstered his gun and stood, arms akimbo. "Well..."

Nikita took matters into her own hands. "Well, nothing! If you’re not going to say anything, Walter, I will! Michael, if you take over Section, you do it alone! I’m not coming back here! Ever! I have a life now! I don’t need anything else!"

Michael regarded her impassively. He blinked slowly. It was a signal she vaguely remembered from long ago. "Then our marriage means nothing to you?"

"I didn’t marry Section, Michael, I married you!" She stepped back, almost running over Walter in her haste to move.

George seemed bemused by the goings-on. Madeline merely looked numb. Operations’ body had been removed, but the room felt too small to hold the people in it. Birkoff couldn’t figure out why Michael was even arguing with Nikita, and Walter was exasperated.

George smiled coldly at Nikita. She had no difficulty interpreting that look. He thought she was a threat to Michael taking over Section One. He didn’t want her dead, maybe, as Operations had. But there were other ways of making a person disappear. Especially inside Section.

Michael smiled congenially at George, as if they were comrades in arms long separated and suddenly reunited. "Where’s Bauer?"

The question took George off-guard. "I told you, he’s been taken care of."

"I know, but is he dead?" Michael shifted his weight from side to side, his hand already seeking his gun.

"I don’t know what you mean." George stared icily at the younger man. "Perhaps you misunderstand your position here, Michael."

Madeline looked from one to the other, trying to figure out when the atmosphere had changed. Violently.

"Perhaps I do. Or perhaps I’m finally getting it right."

Michael drew his gun on George. "All right, Bauer, show yourself."

Bauer came out of the darkness and stood there, next to George. God, that gave Michael a chill. He had almost put his life in George’s hands once. But he was unable to trust him. He cocked his gun and aimed it at Bauer.

"You shot my wife."

Bauer smiled. "I’m green-listed, Michael. You can’t touch me."

"I’m not in Section anymore, Bauer. Didn’t you hear?"

Walter grinned, suddenly understanding what had just transpired. Birkoff wanted to cheer. Thank God, thought Nikita.

He turned to Madeline. "Thank you for your consideration of the status of my soul, Madeline. I appreciate what you did. I don’t know if I could have done that." He turned back to Bauer. "But I know I can do this." He pointed his gun at Bauer and dropped the man in a single clean shot through the head.

He smiled at Nikita. "Let’s go home."

George sputtered angrily. "You’re giving this up? For what?"

"For her. I finally have a life worth living. I even have a family." Michael put his gun away and wrapped his arms around Nikita. He looked at Walter and Birkoff. "Don’t I?"

They all nodded speechlessly.

Michael saw how weak Nikita looked and pulled her close, forcing her to lean on him. "You can rest now, Kita. You must be exhausted." He and the others were headed back the way they had come into Section. Unfortunately, it seemed that George did not like being thwarted any more than Operations did. He called for a general alarm, and suddenly, tens of operatives descended upon the team.

Michael looked at Walter, realizing that Nikita was no longer in shape to defend herself. Walter, strangely intuitive where Michael was concerned lately, read his mind and reached for Nikita. "I’ll take care of Sugar, Michael. You just go do what you do best." He lifted Nikita into a fireman’s carry and slung her over his shoulder, easily bearing her slight weight.

Michael drew his gun, then reached behind Nikita’s waist and grabbed her weapon as well. "Michael, be careful," she whispered, finding it hard to stay awake. He nodded. "Birkoff, a diversion right about now would be nice."

"You got it." Birkoff’s hands flew over the keyboard, activating the fire alarms, the sprinkler systems, and some of the automatic doors, forcing the operatives to choose carefully before they followed the team in pursuit.

Michael ran ahead, clearing the way for the others. He backhanded one operative, then shot another in the leg, rendering him disabled. Spinning and kicking, he was a blur of black against the strobing colored lights of Section’s alarms. He leaped up onto a desk, emptying his clip into the next four operatives that came at him. He kept glancing behind him to see where Walter was with Nikita, but he could not allow himself to be distracted, for even a moment. There were too many of them.

Birkoff ran with his laptop, finally pausing at the door to freedom. Beyond it lay the way out, but Birkoff had one last task he wanted to do. He linked his laptop to Michael’s computer in his old office, sending an encrypted message to Madeline. He knew she would know what it meant and what to do with it. He hit enter and flew through the doorway, Walter and Nikita right behind him. Michael was bringing up the rear now, trying to protect the others as he made good his escape. Again.

Madeline suddenly appeared near the doorway. She smiled patiently at Michael. Michael frowned. "What are you doing, Madeline?"

"What I should have done long ago, Michael." She turned, gun in hand, and began to help him defend his position near the door. "George is going to ask questions. He will want to know where you and Nikita live. We both know I am the only one left who knows. I can stay and take my chances in the White Room, but eventually I would give you up. Then, all this would be for nothing."

She turned to Michael. "You’ll have to do it, Michael. I don’t think I can kill myself." Her sad eyes glistened suspiciously with what looked like tears.

Michael shook his head. "No, Madeline. I can’t. I owe you. For Operations."

Madeline shot another operative, then said frustrated, "Michael, there isn’t much time left. You have to go, and I need to know you and Nikita will be safe."

Michael reached towards Madeline with one hand. "Then come with us, Madeline. Choose life."

Madeline hesitated. Michael saw the doors begin to close, as Birkoff had programmed them to do. "Madeline..."

She threw off her high heels and clambered awkwardly up onto the desk Michael was standing on. "We’re going to have to jump through that doorway before it closes."

She nodded. "But first, I have to do one more thing."

Michael screamed inwardly with frustration. "There’s no time..." She smiled. She reached over and tapped the nearest computer keyboard. Birkoff’s encrypted message was there. She uploaded it into Section’s mainframe. As she hit enter, the very walls around them felt as if they were shaking. Michael looked up at the ceiling as his feet grew unsteady beneath him. "What did you do?"

"Left a little present for Section to open and give to Oversight." She actually grinned, and Michael looked blankly at her as the doorway continued to shrink.

"Madeline, we have to jump now. Now."

He threw his gun through the doorway, then followed it with his body, landing on his feet and automatically rolling to pick up the gun again. "Madeline! This way!"

She leaped awkwardly, landing in a broken heap at his feet. "You all right?"

"Never felt better." Even Madeline’s color seemed to improve, as she abruptly realized that she was finally free of Section.

Walter swung the car around to pick up Michael, staring at Madeline. "What’s she doing here?"

"Sort of a bonus." Michael said enigmatically.

Walter snorted. "If you say so."

Once they were safely away from Section, Michael began to relax at last. He knew that Oversight would try to track them, but he was hoping that whatever Madeline did would help keep them off the scent.

Birkoff glanced at Madeline with some trepidation. "Madeline, you get my message?"

"Yes," she smiled, looking several years younger already.

"Did you send it?"

"Yes, Birkoff, I did."

Michael looked from one to the other. "Is that in some kind of code or something? I don’t understand what you two did."

"Birkoff sent me an encrypted message, asking me to release a virus into Section’s mainframe. I did. Now Section’s computers are infected. In turn, when George attempts to locate us, Oversight’s computers will become infected as well. It might even bring down Section One. Completely."

"That’s nice work, Madeline," Walter admitted.

"Hey..." Birkoff protested.

"You, too, kid..." Walter smirked.

Michael leaned back and checked on Nikita. She was sleeping, but she was still very pale and her breathing seemed irregular. "I should have taken a doctor hostage. What are we going to do for medical attention, Walter? Nikita looks like she still needs help."

Madeline smiled again. "Allow me... Walter, there is a doctor not far from where your new house is. Just drive there, and I will direct you the rest of the way." She looked down at Nikita’s sleeping visage. "She’ll be okay, Michael. We’ll get her whatever she needs. I won’t let you down this time."

"I know you won’t, Madeline. Because if you do, I’ll kill you."

She nodded. "Of course. There is no trust between us, Michael, I realize that much."

"You’ll have to earn it, the same way the rest of us did," Walter said.

Michael drew the sleeping Nikita against his shoulder and pressed a kiss to her forehead. She stirred restlessly and unconsciously snuggled closer to him. "See? Even in her sleep, Kita knows me. That kind of trust is hard to come by, Madeline. You may never see it. I’m not trying to be mean, just stating a fact."

"I know." Her lips pressed tightly together, Madeline considered just what she had gotten herself into. Never one to be impulsive, a part of her rebelled at the thought of even caring what this ragtag family thought about her. But another part, the part that had been living in Hell for the past lifetime, thought life was starting to look up.

Nikita woke up just before they arrived at the doctor’s house. Struggling and trying to strike out at Michael, Nikita was obviously in the throes of a nightmare. When she opened her eyes, she found all of the car’s occupants regarding her cautiously.

"Kita, you’re safe now." Michael rubbed his cheek, where Nikita had just struck him.

"Oh, Michael, I’m so sorry..." She reached up and kissed him. She groaned a moment later.

"What? What is it?" He was concerned about her injuries. In fact, none of them knew just how badly she was hurt. They had not been privy to Section’s intel on Nikita’s medical condition.

"Michael, they had to remove her spleen. Bauer only managed to get off one shot, but it was a good one. She was bleeding so badly, she went into shock. They stabilized her blood pressure, finally, but they couldn’t give her anything for the pain without sedating her and risking her going back into shock."

Madeline paused. "When I realized that she was pregnant, I refused to authorize pain medication. I didn’t think Nikita would want to risk her baby."

Michael looked daggers at Madeline. "You let her suffer all those hours in pain?"

Nikita slowly rejoined the conversation. "Madeline was right, Michael. I wouldn’t have taken anything if it would hurt my baby."

"Our baby, Kita," Michael corrected her gently. She smiled and squeezed his hand.

He helped her out of the car, letting her lean as much of her weight on him as possible. He didn’t mind. In fact, he was enjoying it. She was always so self-sufficient, it made for a pleasant change when he could get her to let him carry part of her burden.

After thd e doctor examined Nikita, he smiled at Madeline. "Good to see you again, my dear." He turned to Michael. "As for your wife, she is doing very well, considering she was in critical condition mere hours ago. She needs fluids, to replace some of what she’s lost. She needs to gain weight." He wagged a finger at Nikita, as if warning her she ate too little. "I would give her something for pain, but I see she wouldn’t take it. She is strong-willed, your wife."

"Tell me about it," Michael muttered under his breath.

"Did you say something, Michael?" Nikita smiled sweetly, knowing full well he would deny it.

He shook his head.

***

To say it had been a long day would be the grandest understatement possible. Neither Michael nor Nikita had dreamed that their wedding day would finally come and go this way. Michael rubbed Nikita’s shoulders as they stood on the back steps, surveying the damage. "It feels like it happened to someone else."

She nodded. "I know. I never thought that something so beautiful could turn so tragically wrong, so quickly. I still don’t think Birkoff is over it."

"What about you?" Michael kissed the back of her neck. He knew how strong she was, and he knew what this must be doing to her. He had wanted to give her his love, in front of their friends and God, and for a moment, it had all come together. Perfectly. Then it had all gone horribly wrong. Because of Bauer. Because of Section. He wondered if they could even stay in this house. The memories were so overpowering, especially standing here in the aftermath.

Tears clogged her voice. "I dunno. I wanted it to be so right, so beautiful...and it was, Michael. It really was." She closed her eyes, and the tears found expression, running down her cheeks in streaks that only emphasized her paleness. She turned in his arms. "It wasn’t anything you did. You know that, right?"

"Why would you say that, Kita?"

"Cause I know how you blame yourself for everything. You do, Michael. You know you do." He felt her tremble in his arms, and he nodded. "I’m okay, Kita. Really." He reassured her, trying not to feel like he was lying for hiding the way he had reacted after her abduction.

"Michael...you don’t have to be brave for me. I know how you must have felt, when Bauer wrenched me away from you...I feel everything you do." She ran her hand along the side of his face and he rubbed his cheek against her hand. "Kita, I don’t want you to get upset again."

"The only thing that would upset me is if you won’t talk to me about this, Michael."

He sighed. "I don’t want to leave this house, Kita. You chose it, and it’s perfect for all of us. But..." He looked disturbed. He felt it, too, the emotional tone of the house had changed.

"I don’t know if I can be happy here, I keep seeing you pale but bloodied, being dragged away by that madman, and--no one should have to remember their wedding day that way, Kita. I’m so sorry." He dropped his head to his chest, and Nikita smoothed his hair out of his eyes. She picked up his chin, pulling his head up. "It’s not your fault, Michael."

He smiled painfully. "I know. Up here." He indicated his head. Then he touched his heart. "But in here, I feel so responsible."

"Michael, you went back to Section for me, you rescued me! How much more could I possibly want?"

"I want you to be happy, Kita. If you want to stay here, we will..." Michael still didn’t understand. She didn’t care where they were, as long as they were together.

"Michael, wherever you are is home. Wherever I am is home. As long as we’re together."

"I’ll be looking over my shoulder if we stay here, Kita. I know this feeling is never going to go away. I know it’s a terrible thing to ask, but would you mind if we moved? Started over again?"

"No...it’s fine. There’ll be another house. We didn’t really claim this one as ours yet anyway." She looked down, and this time, it was Michael who lifted her face up. "Liar...you love this place....but you’ll do it, if I ask you to."

"Well, it’s where we finally made our child, Michael." She sounded almost in awe of having accomplished that. Compared to everything else that had happened, being pregnant had somehow fallen to the bottom of everyone’s list.

He kissed her gently, his lips tracing her mouth. "No, we made our child that night on the roof, Kita. Just like you said. I was wrong. You said you knew. Somehow you knew." It was precisely the right thing to say at that moment. It overpowered all the memories and bad feelings that crept in and threatened their new life, just as it was starting.

"I love you, Michael." She wrapped her arms carefully around his neck, taking care not to strain her wounded side. He unconsciously braced her side with his hands, gingerly touching the wounded area. He kissed her mouth, and she opened to him, like a flower opening itself to the sun. "You are so beautiful...and so brave...I don’t know what my life would be like if I had never met you..."

"Lonely...hopeless...wretched..." He pulled her left hand out to examine the rings she wore. He kissed the rings. "I thanked God for letting me keep you, Kita. He knows how much I need you. He sent you back to me. So I could spend the rest of my life loving you. And our children."

He kissed Nikita tenderly, and she surrendered to the moment all too briefly, drawing back to stare at him. "Children? As in more than one?"

His eyes lit up, turning a translucent grey. "Well...this is an awfully big house, Kita."

"Are we staying then?" Her smile was heartfelt.

"How could I deny you anything?" Michael hugged her slowly and gently, taking care not to hurt her injured side. He kissed the side of her face again and again, glad she was his to have and to hold and to love...

Michael smiled as he led Nikita back inside the house. "You should go lie down now. You need to rest."

"Yes, sir," she said, saluting him. He patted her on the backside and gave her a gentle push in the direction of the stairs. "Brat. I’ll give Madeline your regrets."

She stuck out her tongue. "You don’t have to lie on my account, Michael. I’m grateful for Madeline’s help, don’t get me wrong, but I know how you feel..."

He nodded. "Ambivalent. I couldn’t kill her, Kita. She took so many risks for us. But I can’t say that I trust her...yet."

She kissed him lovingly, a wistful expression crossing her face. "Don’t be long. I don’t want to be alone tonight."

Some wedding night. It was the first thing that popped into Michael’s head, despite the incongruity of the expression. It had been a long, terrible, draining day. Not exactly the thing a girl dreamed of for her wedding day. Especially a girl who had been abused the way Nikita had. He would find a way to make it up to her. She would protest that it wasn’t necessary, but he would do it anyway.

"You want me to send Birkoff up to keep you company?" He suggested, thinking that he might be unexpectedly detained by Madeline or Walter.

She shook her head. "That’s okay." She yawned expansively, covering her mouth with one hand. "Wake me when you come up. Please."

***

Madeline was chatting with Walter when Michael entered the kitchen. "I apologize for not having a better place for company to sit, Madeline, but as you can see, we were just beginning to furnish the house when we were...called away." He smiled grimly, remembering what had called them away. Bauer showing up at the wedding, Nikita’s abduction and subsequent rescue mission. Nikita’s being wounded.

Her brown eyes glowed with uncharacteristic warmth. Some of her pain had been cut away, almost surgically, by recent events. She already looked ten years younger. "Michael, you certainly don’t owe me an apology."

"Well...anyway...may I offer you a drink?" He spoke politely, even congenially, but Madeline knew he was dying to get away and be with his new wife. His new, pregnant wife.

"I can’t stay, Michael. I know you offered, and I deeply appreciate it. But I have my own plans, and for the first time in years, I am looking forward to something, instead of back, towards the past." Madeline moved towards the door and Walter jumped up to hold it open.

"We...um...appreciated your help back there, Maddy." Walter said gruffly, maybe even a bit grudgingly.

"As I appreciated yours, Walter." She smiled, her first completely genuine smile in years, and Walter admired her. She was indeed a strikingly beautiful woman. Not that he noticed things like that anymore, he hastened to inform his mind.

Birkoff snorted derisively. "Entirely too much appreciating going on around here. We’re going to get too complacent, and we’ll all deny it. But it’s true."

Michael surprised Birkoff by ruffling the boy’s hair. "Hey, don’t go weird on me, Michael. I’m used to being ignored."

"I didn’t mean for you to feel left out, Birkoff." Birkoff crossed his arms and clenched his mouth shut mutinously. "It hasn’t been an easy day for any of us, I think. And Madeline needs to be going..."

Madeline took the hint graciously and stepped through the doorway. Michael walked her to the edge of the front lawn, the full moon burning brightly in the night sky now. "Madeline, are you sure you’ll be all right?"

She smiled. "Of course. Michael, I am grateful. For all you’ve done. Please find a way to let me know how Nikita is doing."

"If I can."

"I understand," she said, knowing he was implying that he and Nikita might wish to sever all former ties.

***

Michael strode back towards the house and felt a strong sense of pride swell up in his chest, knowing that he and Nikita owned something so substantial together. It was a beautiful house. He saw the moon outlining the second story of the house and realized that Nikita was peering through one of the windows into the darkness. He wouldn’t make her wait much longer.

Walter whispered to Michael as their paths crossed yet once more. "I need to talk to you."

"Oh?" Michael stopped, a questioning look on his face. He glanced at Birkoff, who sat, his body twisted into some misbegotten form. He raised an eyebrow at Walter, inclining his head slightly towards the sullen young man.

Walter drew Michael away from Birkoff, pausing at the bottom of the stairs to the second floor. "I think Birkoff is a bit more upset than he let on earlier. During the mission, he was fine. But now that his mind is not occupied with rescuing Sugar...he seems awfully...withdrawn."

"There was a great deal of violence here today, Walter. I wouldn’t be surprised if Birkoff’s past isn’t beginning to catch up with him."

Walter nodded. "Sorta like Post-Traumatic Stress?"

Michael considered that seriously. "It’s a possibility." His eyes flickered back and forth. "I’d keep an eye on him."