Part 24 by Lafemme

********

That was the break that Michael needed. Gail was distracted momentarily and was immediately disabled. At that moment, two Section operatives entered and carried Gail to the White Room. Madeline now focused his attention back on the others in the room.

"So, what is Operations fate to be?" She smiled.

All of them thought about it and finally it was Nikita who spoke. "Thinking of all the pain that he has inflicted upon me, I think the best thing would be to make him a recruit once more. Of course, he'll complete things at an accelerated rate. Michael and I, when I am better, can work on the tactical and you of course can work on the uh . . ."

Madeline finished her thought. "Valentine Op missions?"

"Yesssssssss. That would be . . ." Nikita wanted to say revenge but instead chose, "appropriate."

"Very well then." and with those words, Madeline turned and walked out the door.

Nikita now focused her attention back to Michael. "Come here!" She growled. Michael responded and Nikita planted a kiss on Michael's lips and she didn't let go. Finally, it was Walter who had to say something. "Hey you guys, let's let this kid get out before you start another." Nikita let go and smiled.

"Well, I'm leaving. Man, this has been one heck of a day! I think I'll roll me a . . ."

Nikita quickly interrupted Walter. "WALTER!!!!!!"

"Fruit roll up?" Walter answered with a sheepish grin on his face.

All of them decided that they'd had enough "highs and lows" to last not only one but several lifetimes.

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

Part 25 by N507

Michael takes Nikita's hand as they walk to Madelines office. Michael waited for the door to open and walked in, allowing Nikita to stand out in the hallway. Madeline had said she needed to speak with them, and the tone had bothered Nikita. She wasn't even out of medical for more than an hour and Nikita was frightened.

"Sit down, Michael, Nikita." Madeline said as she stood up and walked to the door and watched as Nikita walked in. Nikita sat down and looked at Madeline.

"I am glad you are still pregnant, Nikita, but there are some worries still to be thought about." Madeline said as she walked around the table. "You made bad judgment when you decided to use the drugs, Nikita." Madeline started out and Nikita swallowed as the tears began to fall. She knew all of this.

"But George said it wouldn't be drugs!" Nikita exclaimed and she looked at Michael for support.

"You know the difference Nikita. You chose bad judgment and now must live with the consequences." Madeline whispered and Nikita shook her head.

"But I still am pregnant. Everything is going to be fine. It's not like I am going to continue to use." Nikita cried out and Madeline looked at Michael and then back to Nikita.

"The damage may have been done." Michael whispered out softly and Nikita shook her head. "Nikita, alcohol in any stage of pregnancy can lead to severe handicaps in the child, and you may have a stillbirth." Madeline said and Nikita shook her head. "Nikita, you have to know what you might be holding in your hands in eight months might not be a healthy baby." Madeline said and Michael swallowed.

"You also, Michael. You should have never tried to handle the situation yourself, and had you come to me, the pain medication mishap would have never occurred." Madeline said tensely and Michael swallowed.

"Madeline, do you expect me to worry about what might happen for the next eight months? Do you want me to worry so much in the eight months to come that I do stupid mistakes elsewhere? Do you know how hard it is now that I can't have anything at all for the bruises? Do you know how hard I had tried to stay clean for such a long time and then you threw me on a mission that YOU made the mistake one, and you are telling me about the consequences? Aren't you responsible in this mess at all?" Nikita hollered as she stood up.

"Nikita, I want you to calm down, and talk about this. This is the reality. We can test for these problems now, and if there are... we can deal with it accordingly." Madeline said as she stood up.

"So you want me to kill it for what it may be?" Nikita hollered and held onto her stomach.

"DON'T COME NEAR ME!" Nikita screamed as Madeline reached for her. Michael stood up and wrapped his hands around Nikita.

"It's going to be ok." Michael whispered and Nikita shook her head.

"That's the problem, Michael. It's not. It's never going to be. That is what Madeline is saying. She thinks the baby is already damaged. Already killed. She has no hope, how can I?" Nikita cried out as she felt the waves of pain. "It's none of her fault. See, she can point to the drugs being at fault... when I am suppose to spend the next month in bed.... she gets ready to send me on a mission... Whose fault is it, Michael?" Nikita cried out and Michael watched as the door opened and some of the medical staff walked in and injected Nikita carefully.

"It's all right for her to drug me too." Nikita whispered out as she closed her eyes.

****

(a bit weird.. but a dream sequence)

Nikita struggled to open her eyes, or at least she thought she had opened her eyes. She found Michael handing Nikita something. She looked at the joint and then back to Michael.

"Go ahead, Nikita. You know you need it, with the five children. It's ok, Nikita." Michael said as he handed the joint to her. Nikita stood up and threw the joint down on the floor.

"Little Birky, what's wrong?" Michael asked as the five-year-old typed at the computer. Michael waited but Little Birkoff didn't respond right away. Nikita looked at the young boy and saw the triple thick glasses on his face. Then Nikita turned around and saw the bunnies running across the floor. Nikita turned and followed behind them. She watched them bounce up and down and then she pulled up to the next door. Walter was inside.

"Hey, little Walter, here... you lick this..." Walter said as he lifted the paper up to the little boy with Michael's curly dark hair. The little boy stuck his tongue out and Nikita gasped in horror as she noticed the bomb parts sitting around as Walter made the joint from the paper that the boy licked. Nikita is about to step forward and stop the actions When, Nikita is turned around while three bunnies, a blue, a yellow, and a pink bunny about the size of a midsize dog turn her around as they jump on her. Nikita raises an eyebrow as they bounce down the hallway and then into a white room.

Nikita slowly walked into the white room and frowned. Operations was in the torture chair and then Gail was in the other. Nikita looked at Madeline as she walked over to the chairs with a little girl that had Nikita's own blonde hair. Nikita gasped as Madeline turned around.

"Little Maddy, use that large needle first." Madeline whispered as she pointed to the large tray of items. The little girl picks up the needle and smiles to Madeline. Madeline points to the large vein on Operations arm and the little Maddy hits it wrong and causes pain to Operations. Madeline smiled.

"Yes, that is right dear, cause pain." Madeline whispered. Then again, the bunnies came back, only this time larger than even she thought. They were AMAZON BUNNIES! Nikita hollered as the bunnies hopped down the hallway with her. Nikita looked ahead and saw a little midge guy beating up Big Birkoff. Nikita stared and then saw the eyes of the little boy.

"Midget Mikey, stop it! Please! I will give you the access codes!!! ANYTHING!!!" Birkoff yelled and then an older operative about the age of Nikita walked by, dressed in blue and pink spandex. Midget Mikey turned from Birkoff.

"HEY BABY! LET ME GIVE YOU SOME SUGAR!!!" Midget Mikey whistled out and Nikita gasped as the floor began to thump.

"NO! I WILL WALK!" Nikita cried out as the ELEPHANT SIZE bunnies started to drool on Nikita's blonde hair. Nikita started to run down the hallway and into a little room. Nikita looked at the little girl hooked up to machines. Nikita looked down at the chart and saw it. Kita. Nikita's little one. Little Nikita.

"You know you don't like it here, here... use this to help your emotions." Michael said as he handed Nikita the bottle of pain medication.

"What is wrong with her?" Nikita questioned and Michael looked to the little girl and frowned.

"That's our drug Baby Nikita." Michael said and Nikita gasped. She looked and saw that the girl could not see, and did not speak. She had tubes running into her body. Nikita looked and say the names of some of the drugs.

POT

CRACK

SMACK

"NO!!! NO!!! NO!!! NO!!! NO!!!" Nikita screamed as she backed up. The bunnies, of all sizes started to surround Nikita. She looked and tried to reach for Michael.

"Why should I help you!!! WHY!!!" Michael screamed and Nikita felt the bunnies nipping at her body.

"MICHAEL!!!" Nikita screamed.

"YOU CAUSED THIS!! YOU NEEDED THE DRUGS!!!!" Michael screamed.

***in the real world***

"Nikita, wake up!!!" Michael and Madeline screamed together.

********

"Midget Mikey Mission Pants..." Nikita muttered out as Madeline and Michael looked at her pale figure. Madeline looked to Michael and looked at him.

Michael shook his head and left. He could no longer deal with everything.

"Nikita... please open your eyes." Madeline said softly and finally the blue eyes opened up.

"Midget Mikey Mission Pants? Care to explain?" Madeline questioned and Nikita shook er head and noticed her surroundings. Nikita looked to Madeline and then gasped. She felt so different. Madeline noticed the change and nodded her head. The tears of Nikita's affected Madeline herself as they poured down her face.

"You lost the baby, Nikita." Madeline said and Nikita shook her head as she continued to cry loudly. Madeline reached out and rubbed Nikita's shoulder. "Nikita, it was what was for the best, for everyone." Madeline whispered out and Nikita nodded her head and pulled a pillow out to hug it. Madeline turned and sat down on the bed and looked at Nikita.

"I should have died too..." Nikita whispered out and Madeline grabbed Nikita's hand.

"You aren't the only one hurting from this, Nikita." Madeline said and Nikita turned her head, feeling extremely guilty. Madeline looked around and sighed. "I am going to make a deal with you Nikita, but it must not leave this room." Madeline said and Nikita nodded her head.

"I will be watching you, testing you, Nikita. If you stay clean for the next year from drugs, if the accident occurs again, I will do anything for you." Madeline said and Nikita cried.

"I hurt so much, I don't think I can do it." Nikita whispered out and Madeline nodded her head. She understood that after Nikita's lost that the temptation would be triple of anything that Nikita had before.

"It is because of the child that you lost Nikita, that you have to do this." Madeline whispered and moved out of the room, surprised to find Michael absent. Adrian walked down the hallway.

"That effectively separated those too. Nikita must think Michael hates her." Adrian said and Madeline swallowed.

"Michael would never hate Nikita. That is an impossibility in his mind." Madeline whispered and moved down the hallway, knowing that Michael had seeked out a male friend.

*****

"She isn't doing good, is she, Michael?" Walter asked as he cleaned up his station. Michael nodded his head. Walter had decided to clean up his own little act. He was getting rid of everything, as he saw that it destroyed Nikita, and knew that for a few hours of happiness, it could not even match the possibility of a lifetime of happiness with a little one.

"She lost my child, Walter." Michael hissed and Walter frowned and looked at him.

"Let's not blame anyone. I gave her the stuff, man." Walter said and Michael turned his head.

"Don't you think that she is beating herself up about this? Don't you think it would be best to support her now, when the temptation to use again is the highest?" Walter questioned and Michael nodded his head and licked his lips. "Just love her, Michael. That is all that Nikita has ever asked for, and that is the reason why she has taken the drugs all along. She lacked love as a child, and somehow before she can love herself to beat them, someone has to love her first." Walter whispered and Michael nodded his head and paused at the doorway and waited.

"Oh, and remind Nikita, you can't lose things you never had to start with." Walter remarked and Michael moved down the hallway.

***

"You hate me." Nikita stated as Michael opened the door. He looked away and then moved to Nikita's bed.

"I love you." Michael whispered and Nikita gasped and dropped her head as Michael held her for the first time in a long while because he loved her.

***

"I think I am going to be adding to Operations' punishment." Madeline told George as they walked down the hallway.

"Oh, how?" George asked and Madeline smiled.

"I think in a year and nine months, he will become Michael's and Nikita's personal diaper changer for their child." Madeline said and walked down the hallway. She knew how much Operations would hate it, and it would be the perfect revenge. Madeline found that Operations sent Michael and Nikita on that mission, already knowing that Nikita was pregnant. He had somehow pricked her skin and got blood. He knew Nikita's fragile mind could not handle losing that many children, and he caused all of this. Madeline would never breath a word, because blaming someone didn't work.

THE END

This story ©copyright Covert Lovers, 1999