This fic is inspired by tonight's episode of Nikita, episode 9 "One Way." It follows our characters into division after Michael's failure. :( Was anyone close to crying? I was!

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, but I wish I did!

1. No Take Backs

She had saved his life, but she still lost him. He'd changed since she knew him. Filled with Percy's lies; the man was like a toxin, he seeped into the pores, infected everyone around him with his corruption. She thought Michael was her friend. Besides Alex, he had been her only friend…

Her computer read Alex's words back to her in the slower, modulated voice of her protégé: "What are you going to do now? Michael won't trust you."

I'm not sure he ever did before. Percy's got to him. He's changed.

"But if he has time…"

There isn't any. Not when he's full of Percy. Not when he's like that.

"I could talk to him somehow."

No. No one knows about his family except for Percy and me. I'd like to keep it that way.

"But you'll need help."

He'll come around. He has to…if he doesn't…

Alex stared at the computer monitor for a good minute. "Sensei?"

Nikita wiped at the tears on her cheeks before she typed out her reply. Her fingers felt like ice. She was so cold.

I need to find Owen. I need to find that Black box.

Jaden slammed her locker shut, her towel draped around her neck. Alex leaned against the locker next to her, a smirk on her face. It was almost lunch time. They were the only two left in the locker room after morning workouts.

"PMS much?"

"Shut up, bitch. Just because you got to me, doesn't mean we're friends."

"Admit it. You liked being on the same side for once."

"Why were you snooping on the doctor's computer? What were you looking for?"

"I wasn't snooping. He took advantage of me. I knew they wouldn't believe me without your help."

"Sure, I bet he pushed you..." Jaden stepped closer to Alex, who straightened from her slouch. "Bitch."

Alex slammed her against the locker. "Shut up!"

Jaden hit her across the face and when Alex fell to the ground she pounced on her.

"I can't believe you had the nerve to blackmail me," she growled as she sat on Alex's back and yanked her head back by her hair.

Alex cried out. "Let me go!"

"Shut up! How did you find that entrance? How did you know it was there?"

Alex squirmed beneath her. She swung her arm back and connected with Jaden's head. With a cry, she slammed Jaden into a locker.

"Uh, Michael, you might want to look at this," said Birkhoff from his computer. He was munching on a powdered donut. He swirled around in his chair to see Michael coming from the direction of Percy's office. Michael's face was still beat up, his one eye blue and red, the side of his mouth swollen. He was limping slightly. He held himself uncomfortably upright. Broken ribs, Birkhoff thought. But he was sure it wasn't broken ribs that was bothering him this time…

"What?" said Michael.

Birkhoff nodded to the security monitors up on the wall several feet above their heads in front of the room. "Camera 33. Jaden and Alex. Fighting again. Want me to call a guard?"

Michael stared at the computer screen. "What are they yelling at each other?"

"Want to go find out?"

Michael gave him a look. There was something too suggestive about the way he said that. "Call a guard. Before they kill each other."

He turned his back on Birkhoff and limped back towards his office, his shoulders stiff. Birkhoff wondered, not for the first time, if a person really could carry the weight of the world on their shoulders.

Amanda lit a short, white candle on the coffee table in front of them.

"This is interesting. Just yesterday you two were actually working together. I wonder what changed."

Alex folded her arms across her chest. Both dressed in their sweat pants and tank tops, she had a cut next to her lip and a black eye. Jaden bore a large bruise across the left side of her forehead.

"Nothing's changed," said Alex, she blinked her eyes. The candle was making her feel sleepy. The smell of jasmine wrapped up inside her nose, made it hard to breathe. "What is that candle?"

Slumped against the opposite side of the sofa, as far away as she could possible get, Jaden gave her a strange look. "It's called, Jasmine, genius. And it smells good."

"She's going to drug us."

"Relax, Alex," said Amanda and then smiled. "I'm not going to drug you."

Jaden shot Alex a look. "What is she talking about?"

"Must be allergic…" muttered Alex, and then coughed.

"Ladies," said Amanda and this time the smile was more forced then before. "I want to talk about what happened today. Jaden, why don't you start?"

Jaden just stared at her like she had grown three heads. Then her expression grew blank and she sighed as if defeated. "It was stupid things," she muttered. "Girl stuff."

"A guy," said Alex. She sat up straighter. "I said I thought I liked someone and then she flew at me."

"I did not-"

"Girls. As you know division does not allow relationships…"

"A girl can't help herself sometimes can she?" said Jaden, playing along.

And Alex thought Amanda almost smiled for real. This time, her eyes didn't look quite so dead inside, but then the woman cleared her throat.

"Division doesn't encourage relationships," she said, her face serious. "Whatever you think is happening," she looked between them both, "end it now."

Michael slumped in his office chair, coffee cup in his right hand, but he didn't drink it, just stared at the computer monitor that wasn't even on.

"Daddy!" said his little girl's voice in his ear. He scrunched his eyes shut. He saw them in the car. Hot, stuffy, beautiful day. And the words he had said to his wife: "I'll always love you…" Reverberated inside his head. "I'll always love you…" His coffee cup fell to the ground as he cradled his head in his hands.

He wished he couldn't hear their voices, he wished he couldn't see their faces. But they were there, like he saw them yesterday and the anger bubbled up inside him, consumed him. He felt it course through him like a second life. He could live with the hate, if it took away the pain. It should have been finished. He should have been with them…

Betrayer. Rogue. Friend. Nikita.

She had ruined everything. He knew he couldn't trust her. Knew he should have never trusted her…

"Michael," said Birkhoff's voice through the intercom.

Michael pressed a button on the phone next to his computer. "What?"

"Percy wants to see you."

"What, now?"

And then it was Percy's voice he heard instead. "Now, Michael."

Birkhoff's hands flew across his keyboard as he spoke. "This just in from Montreal," he said. He jabbed a key and then sat back in his chair. A black and white picture of Nikita outside a phone booth wearing a dark leather jacket popped up onto the screen. "Traffic camera picked it up. 10:30 today."

Michael looked at his watch. Almost one o'clock.

"What's the course of action?" said Michael. He stared at the photograph, eyes dark.

Something in Percy's face noted Michael's brooding and relished in it. "Two man op, you and Thom. He and Nikita have some history together. I'm sure he'll want to get even."

"He's been on two missions. Nikita took him down both times."

"Then I'm sure he'll have all the more reason to keep fighting her. Best to even the score…isn't that right, Michael?"

"When's the plane?"

"Birkhoff."

"Booking," said Birkhoff as his hands rattled across the keyboard. "Done!"

"I want her dead this time, Michael. No take backs."

Birkhoff's head swiveled between Percy and Michael, and then Michael, who never lost his cold expression. Birkhoff was afraid then…and Michael's soldier stance unsettled him. He watched them leave the room without saying a word.

He grabbed his redbull and then stared down at it, feeling suddenly tired. He sighed.

"Bye, Niki..."