"Analise?"

"It's Anastasia actually, but I still prefer Ana."

Nikita felt almost shell shocked the same woman she had deemed nothing more then frivolous, could also be this cunning, cat like woman in front of her.

"Now, I know your name, but I don't know his," Ana said, looking quite relaxed despite having just knocked out someone at least forty pounds heavier.

"Owen Elliot, another rouge Division agent."

"What is it with your Division agents? Ari would have personally slit the offenders throat, and made the rest of us drink their blood," she said to Michael. Nikita didn't know what disturbed her more. What she said, or the offhand tone tone she said it in.

"They keep on falling in love," Michael said with his usual dry wit.

"How annoying."

Maybe it was because Nikita was still in shock, or maybe it was that she knew Michael far too well, but somehow she could tell he was actually enjoying this conversation. They keep falling in love; The comment brought out her anger, causing her to spin on her heel to face Michael.

"You hypocrite. Because Owen and have so little self-control," she taunted. Nikita would have gone on, but before she could really start a verbal sparing match, Ana interrupted.

"You know, this would make an awesome reality TV show." Nikita whipped her head around to send an icy glare, but was unable to wipe the amused expression on Ana's face.

"Sorry, please continue."

"I really should have shot you when I had the chance." Nikita noticed that he neglected to say kill.

"Then kill me now."

"That can be arranged."

"We both know you couldn't do it."

Michael shrugged

"Depends if I have too."

"You're an even worse liar then when I left."

"And you're even more reckless," he countered, not that he had much material to work with.

"OK, this is getting us nowhere. So go kiss, make up, have sex, whatever it is you do, because we've got a terrorist to kill." Ana's comment shocked Michael and Nikita into silence as she proceeded to heave Owen out of the basement, and began to drag him to what would hopefully be a bed. They heard faint, "Have fun!" before silence returned to greet them once more.

"Owen won't be a happy camper when he wakes up you know."

"Something tells me Ana can take care of herself."

Nikita looked around the basement trying to ignore the hot feeling spreading through her limbs. It had been a long time since she had been all alone in a room with Michael. She didn't like this. She didn't like the situation she was in, or the feeling of distrust spread thickly in the air. It was almost suffocating.

"It's locked," Michael hissed after a moment of violently tugging on the trap door.

The tension was almost killing her. Nikita bit her lip for a moment, considering her options. There were always options after all, weren't they? Was there anything she could say to make this right, she wondered. Her hands were beginning to sweat, and her stomach fluttered with nerves.

"You know I can't apologize for doing something I don't regret," she said quietly.

"Nikita, you... You don't get it do you," he growled. "I was so close to getting him! Five more seconds, and the bastard would have been gone. But no, you just had to save me." By now Michael was almost yelling.

Nikita desperately wanted to escape from Michael's frightening intense glare. She was used to seeing such a look on his face, but not pointed directly at her. Nikita saw his ice green ones soften ever so slightly at sight of traitorous tears beginning to well up in her eyes. While Michael had been yelling, he had slowly walked closer an closer to her; if she just stretched her arm out a few more inches, their hands would touch. It was becoming very difficult to think in such a proximity to him, and Nikita found she didn't really want to. Thinking would just provide her with more reasons to why this twisted romance could never work.

"Michael..." She reached out and placed a hand on his rough cheek.

Carefully, she met his lips to hers, for a soft kiss. After a blissful moment Michael pulled away, his eyes unreadable.

"I couldn't let you get hurt," she said softly, as a tear slid down her cheek. "I don't know what would happen to me if you were dead."

Michael said nothing, but answered her by wrapping his arms around her waist and pulled her into a deep kiss.

Owen lay sprawled on a small twin bed in one of the houses old rooms. Ana though he looked mighty peculiar just laying there, his arms and legs bound by a heavy usage of duct tape. Thank goodness she kept some vials of sleep serum and injectors on her at all times. Strange for some, but not for an assassin. However, now she had nothing to do since Micheal and Nikita had gone Keeping up with the Kardashians on her.

Bzzzzz

Bzzzzz

The nondescript ringing of her cell phone was a welcome, but wary distraction. Very few people knew that number, and none of them were those to whom often brought her good news.

"Hello?"

"My goodness Stasia, it has been quite a while since I last heard from you." Amanda's ever collected voice could easily be heard through the phone's speaker. It had been a good eleven years since Ana had heard that voice, as they hadn't exactly parted ways under good terms.

"It's Ana now, and there is a reason I haven't attempted to contact you," she said coldly.

"Oh I know that. I also remember you used to throw a fit if anyone called you anything other then Stasia. What changed?"

"Me," Ana said shortly. Amanda liked to play with her food before she ate it, and she wasn't going to give her the chance. "What do you want Amanda?"

"Percy tipped Kasim off. They're going to be expecting you."

"Amanda, the first thing you taught me was never to trust anyone. Least of all you," Ana told her former teacher calmly. She wasn't surprised in the slightest if Percy and Kasim were working together though.

"And I almost thought you'd never learn it. The death of your family may have been the best thing to happen to your training." Amanda's comment may have been extremely offensive to some, but Ana knew that Amanda was only speaking her mind. There was no personal baggage behind it.

"Jee, thanks. Why not call Michael?"

"Because Stacia, you know me better then he does." Ana knew it was true, she did.

"I'll take your tip into consideration. Anything else?"

"Tell Nikita I said hi," Amanda told her, causing Ana to chuckle softly.

"If she shows up, I will." Ana hung up the phone still laughing.

AN: It's a little shorter then usual, but the next few will be longer. Can you believe that last episode? WE HAVE TO WAIT TILL APRIL SEVENTH TO FIND OUT WHATS GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT? WHAT! Ok, fangirl moment over, but come on, April seventh? Reviews always enjoyed, and thank you for reading,

-jaug