It had only been a week, but for the group it felt like a year had gone by. They hadn't heard from or about Amanda. They knew if Birkhoff couldn't even find something... Anything on her, she had somebody good on her side. Nobody could even imagine who she could be working with.
"She said she had people who would find her when I..." Nikita didn't explain because everyone knew this story. "I should've believed her, I should've just kil..." She stopped herself before she finished her sentence when she saw Les peek her head around the corner. "It's alright honey, you can come out here." Nikita told her. Les came over and sat in her lap. Everyone paused the Amanda conversation and made small talk with Les.
"How are you princess?" Sam asked as he leaned forward to rub the top of her head.
"Good." She grabbed the top of her head and giggled. Then she looked at Nikita. "Mommy I want to go to the park."
"I don't know sweetie..." Nikita tried to break the news. She didn't really want to go back after what happened.
"We can take her." Alex offered.
"We'll go with." Birkhoff started.
"It has been a week..." Sam added.
"Plus, you and Michael should have sometime alone." Sonya finished. Nikita smiled a little, seeing them all add into a conversation like that. It was funny to hear.
"If you guys really want to." Nikita replied. In return, she got an abundance of 'yeahs' and 'of courses.' She smiled again this time with a slight chuckle. "Alright."
Nikita shut the door after they all left then looked at Michael.
"It's kind of funny... We're finally alone, and we don't even know what to do." Nikita told Michael as she sat on the couch.
"Yeah." Michael sat next to her. "Nikita..." He hesitated. "Why have you been so distant lately?"
Nikita looked at him in shock. "What?"
"I know that with Amanda here, it's hard on you but there is more, I-" Michael explained his question but was interrupted.
"No, there isn't Michael. Don't you see what she's doing?" Nikita questioned hoping his answer would be obvious.
"Of course I do, but she isn't forcing you to deal with by yourself." He said semi angrily and stood up.
"I am not-" Nikita interrupted again, but this time Michael stopped her, and started to yell.
"No Nikita listen. For once just listen to what I am telling you. We are all here. We all want her out of the picture. Why do you act like it's only you? Why do you have to be so damn-"
"I'm pregnant!" Nikita yelled over him and stood up with tears in her eyes. The tears were from hearing Michael yell, but also because she was terrified. Everything went silent.
"What?" Michael asked. Nikita let out a few more tears and a deep breath before she finally sat back down and told him the whole story.
"When I took Les to the park, the day that Amanda..." Michael sat down next to her and she paused knowing he knew the rest of that story. "I also went to the doctor because I was 2 weeks late. I was going to tell you that night but then the whole thing with Amanda happened, and there was never time for us to talk." She tried to get Michael to understand why she hadn't told him earlier even though she knew she should've. "I'm at least 2 months along..." She finished. Michael didn't know how to react. He smiled, but the timing couldn't of been worse. How could he take care of Les, Nikita and the baby inside of her, while they were trying to get Amanda.
"Nikita, I-" Before he could finish Nikita's phone rang. She got up and grabbed it off the counter. The caller I.D. said Alex, although she didn't even really pay attention.
"Hey. What's up?" Nikita greeted.
"Not much." Alex replied. "Just letting you know we all got to the park okay."
"Great. Thanks. How's Les?" Nikita asked Alex.
"She's having fun." Alex laughed lightly. "Sam is pushing her on the swings, and Birkhoff is over there with him."
Nikita laughed a little bit and said, "He's just waiting for his turn." Nikita heard Alex laugh but then all she heard was fuzz. "Alex?" She asked, then heard a voice, but it wasn't Alex.
"Act like you're still on the phone with Alex." Amanda demanded. Nikita saw Michael looking at her, she didn't do anything to suggest something was wrong. She just played along.
"Yeah, I can hear you now." She spoke.
"Good. Now if you don't want me to tell my guys to get Celeste from the swings," After Amanda said this Nikita took a deep breath. "you'll do exactly as I say."
"Okay." Nikita replied as if she was getting information from Alex.
"I'm going to send you coordinates under Alex's number. Be there in 1 hour." She requested.
"Yeah, I'm on my way." Nikita hung up, then went to explain to Michael what 'Alex' had said. "She said the car broke down. I'm going to go get them." She lied.
"I'll come with you." He started to stand.
"No...There's not that much room in the car and, I need some time to myself... to think." She paused to walk towards him and kiss him. "We'll finish this tonight."
"Okay." He agreed. Nikita grabbed her keys and phone and walked out the door.
30 minutes later everyone walked in, except for Nikita.
"Daddy!" Les yelled and jumped into Michael's arms.
"Hey Les Lee, how was the park?" He asked as he walked over to Alex to ask where Nikita was.
"Good!" Les smiled. "Uncle Sam pushed me really high on the swings." She told Michael gesturing with her hands how high she went.
"Oh yeah? Was it scary?" Michael asked he neared Alex. His focus was on her more than Les.
"Nuh-uh!" She shook her head no. "I wanted to go higher!" She smiled with excitement. Michael was now right next to Alex. He tapped her on the shoulder and gestured that he needed to talk.
"Wow!" Michael exclaimed and lifted Les over his head. She screamed and giggled happily. "You're a little dare devil just like your mother." He told her and then brought her back onto the floor. "Why don't you go put some pajamas on and brush your teeth, then I'll put a movie on for you in the living room."
"Okay." Les replied, a little less enthused than before. As she walked back to her room Michael looked up to Alex.
"Where's Nikita?" Michael asked her. Alex looked at him confused.
"She's not here?" Alex asked. At this point Michael and Alex both knew something was wrong.
"No. When she got off the phone with you, she said that the car broke down and she needed to go get you guys." Michael explained.
"That call cut off in the middle of our conversation. I tried to call back but the line was busy." Alex told her side of the story.
"Son of a-" Michael started.
"Amanda..." Alex sighed. Birkhoff, Sam and Sonya walked over to them when they heard Amanda.
"What's wrong?" Birkhoff asked.
"Nikita is gone... She went to go meet Amanda." Michael sighed as if he had more to say but didn't know whether to tell or not.
"And..." Sam questioned knowing he had more to say.
"And..." He paused. "She's pregnant." There was a slight pause.
"What do you mean she's pregnant?" Birkhoff asked.
"I mean there's a baby growing inside of her, what do you think I mean?" Michael told Birkhoff.
"Does Amanda know?" Alex interjected herself into the conversation.
"God, I hope not..." Michael hoped.
Nikita parked her car outside and old building, and went in a side door that creaked as she opened it. The room was dark, you could see the dust floating in the dim light coming from the street lights through the small, basement like windows. Nikita closed the door behind her and started to walk to the left. After she took about 5 steps she heard a voice behind her that made her heart drop and sent chills down her spine.
"Long time Nikita... You haven't aged a day." Amanda complemented Nikita as she walked closer to her. Nikita didn't want to turn around. The moment she turned around, the moment she saw Amanda, would be the moment everything becomes real, and she was still hoping it was all just a bad dream. "Don't be shy Nikita. Turn around, have a seat."
"I'm fine standing, thanks." Nikita said still facing away from her. Amanda could tell that Nikita was shaken being in her presence after so long.
"When are you due?" Amanda asked casually. Nikita eyes widened. She felt tears forming, but tried desperately to hide them. She closed her eyes took a deep breath and turned around. When she made eye contact with Amanda, who standing about 3 feet away from her, she acted like she was okay but she felt sick to her stomach, and Amanda saw that.
"How did you know?" Nikita asked, now she wouldn't take her eyes off of Amanda.
"You're glowing." Amanda smiled as she walked closer. When she got within arm length of Nikita, she put her hand on Nikita's stomach. It took Nikita a few seconds to react to this, but soon after Amanda started to touch her stomach, Nikita took two steps back, held her stomach and looked down.
"Why did you want me to come here." She looked back up to Amanda.
"How's Les? She's so young, so innocent. She probably has no idea what's going on or what you and Michael used to be." Amanda started, ignoring Nikita's question.
"She's terrified. How do you get pleasure from scaring children?" Nikita questioned. Amanda started to walk around Nikita.
"Are you terrified?" Amanda asked when she got to the side of Nikita. Nikita started to get dizzy, so she walked to a chair and sat down. "It's rude to ignore a question."
"No. You don't get to tell me what's rude." Nikita snapped.
"I already have. I taught you everything you know. You wouldn't be alive today if it wasn't for me." Amanda started to guilt trip Nikita, but it wasn't going to work on her.
"The reason I'm alive today is because of me and the people I love. You have sent so many people to kill me, but you never had the guts to do it yourself." Nikita looked up at Amanda who was walking towards her.
"They were going to cancel you." Amanda said still walking towards her.
"I don't think about those days..." Nikita stood up.
"Those days define who you are Nikita." Amanda insisted.
"Not any more." Nikita shook her head. "I left those days behind the day I locked you up."
"No." Amanda started to walk closer to Nikita. "You didn't finish the mission... So it's not over."
The team was surrounded around Birkhoff's computer, as they looked for Nikita. In the middle of the search, Michael went to go check on Les. He walked out to find her movie over and her sleeping on the couch. Michael walked over to her, shut the TV off then picked Les up off the couch. She groaned tiredly as she wrapped her arms around Michael's neck. He took her back to her room, put her in bed and covered her with the blanket. He pushed her hair out of her face, kissed her forehead, then started to leave her room.
"Daddy?" Les called out exhausted. Michael walked back over to her, then knelt down by her bed.
"Yes, sweetheart?" Michael answered almost as tired as her.
"I want mommy to come say goodnight to me." She rolled over and looked at Michael. He looked at the floor then back at her.
"She can't right now... She..." Michael tried to come up with a lie but even tired Les was too quick for him.
"Is she with Amanda?" Les questioned. Michael couldn't believe how well that name stuck in her mind.
"Yes, she is." Michael answered straight forwardly. Les had tears in her eyes and took a deep breath.
"Is mommy going to be okay?" She asked then started to cry. Michael got up and hugged Les.
"Of course she's going to be okay, honey." Michael held her. "She's just talking to Amanda." He started to let go of her hug then looked at her. "She will be here when you wake up in the morning."
"Promise?" Les asked holding out her pinky.
"Promise." Michael wrapped his pinky around hers then released, signifying the promise had been made. "Now get some sleep." He said standing up.
"Okay." Les sniffled then rolled over and closed her eyes.
"Goodnight Les Lee. I love you." Michael told her as he started to shut her door.
"I love you too, Daddy." Les told him, then he shut the door. He went to join the rest of the group in the search. He sat down, and stared at the screen.
"How is she?" Alex asked.
"She misses her mom." Michael replied.
"We'll find her." Alex assured him. He nodded agreeing.
4 A.M.
The team was just about to call it a night, but Michael was determined to keep looking. He couldn't have Les wake up without Nikita there. Just as they were about to begin another search, the front door opened, and Nikita walked through it. She was afraid, because she knew how the team would react, and because of what happened with Amanda.
"Nikki..." Birkhoff sighed with relief. Although they were all glad to see her, Birkhoff was the only one that showed it. Michael and Alex walked over to Nikita.
"Nikita, what the hell!" Alex scolded Nikita.
"Before you chew me out, just let me explain." She walked over to Sam, Birkhoff, and Sonya through Alex and Michael. They followed her back.
"You scared the shit out of us." Sam told her. She sat down, put her head into her hands and sighed.
"I know... I'm sorry...She just called, told me to meet her somewhere... I had to go, I was afraid for you guys, Les... I just, I had to see if it was real." Nikita tried to explain herself.
"Les was crying for you." Michael told Nikita.
"If you want to do this by yourself, then why are we here?" Alex asked. Nikita looked at the rest of the group who agreed. It was silent.
"Nikki, even though you went after her alone, we have been up all night looking for you." Birkhoff started.
"Even if we aren't there, we will always be involved" Sonya finished.
"I won't go after her alone again." She looked around at them. "I Promise." Nikita looked at Michael for forgiveness. He hugged her.
"Please don't pull anything like that again." He pleaded. "I can't loose you."
"You won't." Nikita said in his hug. They pulled away from each other then she looked at Michael sadly. "She knows I'm pregnant."
AN: So don't worry, you'll find out the rest of what happened with Amanda in the next chapter! Once again, sorry for the wait. Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Suggestions are always welcome!
EDIT: WOW! I went to post this chapter then realized that I had a shitload of comments I never saw. Thank you guys so much, and I love this story just as much as you guys so I DEFINITELY will not abandon. Again, sorry for wait, I don't mean to worry you guys ^_^ Thank you for suggestions I will take them into consideration! I love you guys! Literally just made my life with all the super sweet comments! I was so excited when I saw the comments I was shaking xD. Anyway, I'm sooooooo happy you guys like this, I put a lot of work into it. Next chapter will come sooner I promise!
THANK YOU!
