(Posted to DW on 1/26/11)
A/N: Okay, I seriously needed a beta for this one, the tenses were driving me insane. This is the last of the 'daily one-shots to the end of the hiatus' series, and last one without a beta.
Title: Moon in the Water
Author: jyorraku
Rating: PG
Fandom: Nikita
Category: Angst
Characters: Michael/Nikita, Daniel/Nikita
Disclaimer: Not mine.
Summary: You can't always believe what you see.
The world is inevitably small when there are individuals who shouldn't meet.
Nikita and Michael are exchanging details on the ongoing operation when Daniel drops into the café. He sees them and somehow they end up going to lunch together because he's entirely too friendly and good humored to let his girlfriend's friend go hungry when it is so close to lunchtime. There's not even the slightest hint of jealousy or suspicion, just curiosity, given that Nikita likes to play it loose with the details whenever he asks about her past.
Michael plans to stay only for a bit, and give just enough information to solidify Nikita's background. But somehow he ends up staying for the whole time and by the end of lunch, he knows why Nikita's fallen for the guy. Daniel comes from a wealthy family but he's independent without being estranged, and is entirely earnest in dealing with his circle of friends and wanting to help out those less fortunate. All around good guy, uncomplicated. Nothing like himself. But Michael likes him. It's individuals like Daniel that makes the teeming masses seem like people again, people worth saving and protecting from the evils of the world, the terrorists, drug lords, and gun runners.
Before he goes, Michael warns Nikita again. Daniel is just her cover, she shouldn't get too attached, for her sake and for his. She readily accepts his advice, but somehow he knows. Everything about the situation screams unexpected complications. So he plans for the very worst, keeping his ear to the ground around Amanda and Percy.
When the cancellation order comes down, Michael is ready. The body in the water has Daniel's face and build, but it isn't him. He doesn't tell Nikita right away because they're watching her every move, seeing how she would react to Daniel's death. At least that's what he tells himself. He knows the moment he tells her, she'll be gone. He can't give her what Daniel can, and his feelings for her, whatever they may be, hinges mostly on her happiness. And she isn't happy in Division. She never was. But he's better when she's here. When she asks him if he knew, he's reticent, but because she is Nikita and he is Michael, she sees the sliver of truth in his eyes and doesn't want to believe it. She doesn't realize she's been asking the wrong question all along.
The moment comes, the scrutiny has dissipated. So Michael braces himself and is ready to tell her, to wish her and Daniel the best, but she's gone. He tries everything. He goes through the motions of tracking her down to placate Percy, all the while trying to get her the message. Daniel is alive.
It never reaches her.
The memories fade with time and Daniel moves on under the identity Michael gave him. Michael feels guilty but he comforts himself knowing that Nikita is free of Division. So when she returns, he is a little happy to see her but mostly angry that she's returned for revenge. He wants tells her that Daniel's alive and she'll only hurt herself on this path, but he can't.
When his daughter was born, Daniel unequivocally made Michael promise to never tell Nikita he was still alive. The shadowed world of Division was dangerous, Daniel reasoned, and he could not and would not risk his family, no matter how small the chance. As a father himself, Michael couldn't say no.
Michael sees Nikita fighting and bleeding and it breaks him because it's all for a lie. He isn't sure where promises end and lies begin anymore. He marches to Percy's orders because it keeps him focused and it reminds him why he's still here after all these years.
His loss is real.
The truth will just have to wait.