Nearly 2 hours later DeLeah woke up when the car pulled to a halt. She noticed Nikita just waking up too. "Sleep well cherie?" Michael asked Nikita.

"Yes Michael" Nikita answered automatically not even thinking as she checked to see if her hair and makeup were still in place.

"You look beautiful no matter what" Michael reassured her when he saw what she was up to.

Nikita just gave him a dirty look.

"What about me Michael?" DeLeah teased.

"Same goes for you too" he smirked.

Both girls rolled their eyes and laughed. The 2 women grabbed their purses and they made their way up the driveway to the beautiful house. It was an old victorian which was built with brick half way up and then paineted a soft baby blue color. There was a white picket fence around the yard which was huge.

As Michael unlocked the door and the 2 ladies stepped in they gasped...it was beautiful! Madeline had definitley had the place decorated and setup but just the style of the house was enough. While on the outside of the house it looked victorian, inside it was designed ranch style. The living room was huge with creme white carpets, a glass chandieler, 2 recliners, a loveseat, and a sofa.

The 2 women exchanged excited glances and raced each other up the stairs which were made of oak with the steps being a rugged creme color. There were 3 bedrooms upstairs and all equally gorgeous. The master bedroom, which had been made up specifically for Mr. and Mrs. Samuelle was pained a soft yellowish creme color which complimented the queen size bed with it's soft green comforter. On one side of the room was a rocking chair and a desk.

As the 2 girls went into the adjoining bathroom they laughed. It was the biggest bathroom they had ever seen. On one side layed the bathtub with the toilet in the corner across from it but on the other side of the room there lay a jacuzzi and just across from that a hot tub!

"hmmmmm.....you sure Maddy's trying to keep you two apart?" DeLeah giggled.

Nikki laughed, "oh come on let's go see your room"

"Nervous are we?" DeLeah teased as Nikki dragged her back out into the hall to the room across the hall.

Nikki laughed, "hardly" as they entered the room. Inside it was almost as big as the master bedroom but on one side was a vanity on top of the dresser, a full size bed with a baby blue comforter and an adjoining bathroom also. On one side of the room was a 32 inch television set and then lower down on a stand was a stero system. They walked into the bathroom and stopped. It was gorgeous! Simply gorgeous! The walls were made of black marble tile with silver lines going through them every whichway. There was a full length mirrior on the wall and also a mirror on the shower doors to the bathtub. The bathroom wasn't as big as the master bedrooms's but it did have a hot tub in it. Just no jacuzzi.

"Wow!" DeLeah announced as they headed back downstairs again. "Wonder what this house is costing section?"

Nikki nodded her head in agreement, "quite a bit" as they headed into the kitchen where they could smell Michael doing wonders.

Michael looked up as the 2 women entered the kitchen, "mmmm....it's smelling wonderful love" Nikita smiled as she gave him a peck on the lips.

"Yes Michael it's smelling quite good. What is it?" DeLeah asked.

"A surprise" he answered comically. "Now be good and go explore the yard" he commanded with a smile.

"Well, if you're that desperate to get rid of us" Nikita teased him.

"Nikki? Since when are we good?" DeLeah asked laughing and Nikki soon joined in.

Michael looked her in the eye his eyes promising heaven and more tonight as Nikita told him she expected him to live up to his promises.

DeLeah smirked. These two were unbelievable. They could communicate with each other without even saying a word. But then so could she and genie which was very helpful in the field. It was probably why they had survived in their line of work for so long.

"Come on Nikki" DeLeah said grabbing her friend's hand as she pulled her out into the yard.

Outside in the backyard was a shed on one side and what looked like a stable on the other side. "Come on Nikki" DeLeah exclaimed as she pulled her towards the stable. Inside the stable there were 3 horses. One a powerful black mare, an appalusa breed, and a beautiful bay mare.

"OMG! I don't believe it!" DeLeah exclaimed. "I love horseback riding!"

"Let's do it!" Nikki exclaimed already grabbing a saddle.

DeLeah went over and grabbed a saddle as well and within the minutes the girls were ready. Up on the horses they looked at each other and giggled.

"Michael" Nikita called as they rode up to the house a little closer.

Michael appeared in the doorway covered from head to foot in flour! It was a hysterically funnny sight to see the white flour mixed in with his black suit.

Both girls burst out giggling. "What happened to you?" Nikita asked barely able to ask between laughing and wiping the tears of laughter from her eyes. DeLeah wasn't far behind her doing the same thing.

After about 5 minutes of laughing the girls' laughter began dying down. "Sorry Michael" DeLeah began, "But the sight of you in flour was just to much" she tried to apologise.

Michael looked at Nikita, "Don't look at me" she said still laughing slightly "I'm not apologising for anything right now"

Michael got a glint in his eye, "You will, later tonight" Michael said confidently slightly threatning.

Both women looked at each other unsurely and began laughing again.

Michael rolled his eyes, "Are you two going riding or are you just going tosit on those animals all day?" he asked.

"Oh yea, we're going riding Michael" Nikita said getting serious. "We'll be back in an hour or so" she said.

Michael nodded, "Good. Dinner should be ready around then"

"Later Michael" DeLeah called back as she put the bay mare into a steady gallop to catch up with Nikki.

As the two girls galloped for awhile suddenly Deleah saw a cove of trees about 200 feet ahead. "Race ya to the cove" DeLeah laughed as she took off. Nikki not to be outdone by her trained material put the appalusa into a full speed run easily passing her.

"Hey no fair!" DeLeah laughed as they both dismounted. Suddenly as Nikki put her foot on the ground they heard a rattle.

"Don't move Nikki!" DeLeah said urgently. She looked her into the eyes saying "Trust me"

Nikki nodded her head knowing that DeLeah would have a good reason for giving her such an order. She watched conspicously as DeLeah quickly took out her section issued gun and shot behind her.

Nikki let out a loud breath as she looked behind her. "OMG a rattlesnake!" Nikki exclaimed.

"Yep" DeLeah confirmed picking the snake up. "It'll make a good dinner tomorrow night" she said.

"Ew! You eat rattlesnake!" she asked disgusted.

"Yep and Michael too!" Deleah confirmed. "The Reeves Mission when Michael and I were stranded with the team for 2 days out in the forest?

Michael killed and cooked rattlesnake for us. It's delicious. Tastes just like chicken some say"

Nikki still looked unsure. "Don't worry" DeLeah winked at her. "I'm sure Michael will convince you to eat it. He did me and I acted the same way you did as did the rest of the team on that mission."

DeLeah stuck the rattlesnake in her saddlebag. "Come on we've gotta be getting back or Michael will have all hell out looking for us" DeLeah said.

Nikki laughed, "yea and he would too."

As the two rode back at a steady pace they chatted and caught up with each other a bit while they had been seperated. Ever since DeLeah had met Nikita there had been a strong bond between the two women. It was undescribably but each trusted the other with a blind trust that one found rare. Especially in section.

As the two girls arrived back they went up to the house first. As Michael came out to greet them Nikita ran straight into his arms.

A surprised Michael looked at DeLeah in puzzlement as if to say, 'what happened?"

DeLeah took the snake out of her saddle bag and showed him.

He nodded gathering Nikita into his arms and leading her inside all the while reassuring her in soft murmurs of french.

DeLeah let the couple go inside and she took the horses back to the stables. There she unsaddled them and put them back into their stalls feeding them. She wanted to give Michael and Nikita some privacy so she decided to groom the powerful black mare. She was almost finished with the chore when Michael appeared.

DeLeah looked over at the door quickly. She hadn't heard anyone coming but relaxed when she saw it was Michael.

"Dinner's ready" he whispered softly.

"Alright I'll be right in" DeLeah flashed him a bright smile.

Michael nodded. He went over to DeLeah and took her hand in his.

DeLeah looked into his eyes confused, "Michael what..." she began.

He shook his head telling her to be quiet. "Thank you for protecting Kita out there" he said with emotion in his eyes.

DeLeah smiled, "Michael you know I would protect her with my life. She's like a sister to me and not just on this mission. I mean that."

"I know" Michael said softly. "I just wanted to thank you" he replied as he bent down and kissed both her cheeks french style.

"There's really nothing to thank me for. How's Nikki doing?" she asked concerned.

"She's a little shaken but she'll be fine." he answered.

"Good. Just let me put this mare back in his stall and we can go eat dinner."

Michael nodded indicating that he would wait to escort her back to the house.

As they headed out of the stables DeLeah grabbed her saddle bag taking the snake out of it. "Dinner tomorrow?" she asked him.

Michael raised an eyebrow, "you cooking?" he asked with a smile.

"You help?" DeLeah asked him. She'd never cooked rattle snake before.

Michael nodded.

"Good. We'll have to do some convincing to get Nikki to eat it" she replied.

Michael looked surprised and guilty at the same time.

"Michael what are you not telling me?" DeLeah asked warningly.

"Kita's had rattlesnake before" he answered passively.

DeLeah raised an eyebrow, "She says she hasn't"

"She doesn't know she's had it" Michael replied.

"Just how do you explain that?" DeLeah asked laughing.

Michael smiled, "before you came, when I was still training Kita we were sent on a mission to retrieve an antidote for a biochemical that had been released on some of our operatives. The antidote was in the a jungle of aisa. We were there for 3 days going deeper and deeper into the forest. We had to eat. So while Kita was gathering firewood I skinned the snake and cut it up in pieces to cook. She thought it was part of the rations that section had given us. Section hadn't given us any rations though."

DeLeah giggled. "So are you going to tell her?" she asked as they arrived at the back door to the house.

Michael looked at her seriously, "Maybe, someday" he said.

DeLeah nodded. She got Michael's point. She wasn't to tell Nikki either.

As they opened the door they saw Nikita bringing numerous pots over to the table. Michael went over and took the pots from her hand, "Sit" he ordered smiling.

"Oh well I love you too" Nikita mocked.

Michael laughed as did DeLeah and Nikki.

They all sat down to a wonderful meal of Lamb veal, rice, potatoes, fresh vegetables, and wine.