Alexandra woke up in her apartment and frowned as a shadow moved. Her weapon was out without a second thought. Amanda smiled. "You are nothing if not gifted in your chosen field dear Alexandra."

"I'm pretty sure that I did not invite you to breakfast," Alex growled as she rolled off the bed and moved toward the kitchen to turn on the coffee maker.

"I need your pull at Zetrov."

"Too fucking early in the morning to call in favors, Amanda." Alex wondered if she could just put her head up under the drip or if she had an iv bag somewhere around. She couldn't get enough caffeine fast enough. She startled at Amanda's nails gliding down her flesh.

Amanda pressed into her back. "You turned me down for sex the last time Alexandra, consider this salve for my bruised ego."

Alex closed her eyes tight. "Fine," she ground out. "I'll head into Division in an hour. Good enough?"

She honestly didn't think Amanda's ego COULD bruise, but if it got her out of the kitchen before really naughty touching got started, she would go along. She sighed as Amanda smiled and smacked her ass before striding out of her apartment. "First thing, change the locks," she began grumpily. Maybe she'd stop somewhere on the way in and try to get some good news on the missing black boxes.


Nikita waved as the old man and his grandson left in their battered pick up. She smiled at the wagging tails on either side of her. Chihiro shook her head. "Dogs. How did I not see you would have a mini-menagerie when I found out you were a don't hurt the chickens type?"

Nikita chuckled. "This is Fenris and the other is Cerebus. Boys, go lie down." She shooed them into the building.

"Nice place, you get a discount for it being fucking condemnable?"

Nikita came back out and hit her shoulder, "Be nice, this is our super secret headquarters."

Chihiro smiled at the other woman. "We are going to make it safe for you to love Alex, babe."

The older woman's lip wobbled slightly. She didn't resist as Chihiro pulled her into a tight hug. "Everything's going to be fine Nikita," she whispered. "You will have Alex and chicken coops and little deer with slings and shit in no time."

Nikita squeezed and kissed Chihiro's cheek. "How did I make it this long without a friend," she whispered. She buried her face in the other woman's neck for a long moment, soul deep grateful to Alex for giving her love and a wonderful friend.

"Fuck knows," Chihiro responded.


Alexandra's eyes narrowed as Chihiro and Nikita held each other near the front door of the old building that Nikita called home. They wouldn't. Would they? Why not? They were both wonderful, how could they not fall for each other instead of the fucked up revenge driven Zatarra. Rage and grief swelled as she turned on her heel and went back around the corner where she had parked her car.

Amanda looked up and smiled as Alex rounded the door frame and came into the office. She pushed the door closed and moved to the shelf, pressing the blinds button. Amanda watched her, brow upraised as the younger woman approached. Alexandra tangled fingers in Amanda's hair and pulled her head back. "Time to work on a different power paradigm." She kissed fiercely as she straddled Amanda in the chair.

She massaged Amanda's breast and nipped her way to the shell of Amanda's ear. She groaned as Amanda's fingers strongly massaged her ass. Alex bit the other woman's lip as her hips rocked against her. The older woman groaned as Alexandra's mouth moved down - her teeth pressing into her throat. "I could get used to that," she purred.

Alexandra pulled back. "Don't. I will kill you. I just intend to enjoy the ride til then," Alex growled and reached into the drawer to pull out some cuffs.


Chihiro frowned. Nikita watched her face as they stood leaning over the table. "What?"

"We do this, you're taking pictures."

"Why?" Nikita was puzzled.

"I will definitely need photographic evidence that I was a fucking rocket scientist." Chihiro grinned.

Nikita chuckled. "Your father'd be so proud."

"He'd shit a brick." She leaned back and paced. "When do we start?"

"Up for it now?" Nikita jangled her keys.

Chihiro howled as their tiny Honda passed a sports car. She laughed and looked over at Nikita who was trying not to blink and thus miss the near misses along the way. "Why the fuck would a black box be in a lunar sample vault anyway?"

"Division has robbed bank vaults around the world. The King of Paranoia, Percy probably thought it would be a good idea to keep a couple in safe deposit boxes, but then hid others in other secure locations that wouldn't immediately spring to mind."

"Like a vault for billion dollar wheat hybrids or a rock bank. Smart. A prick, but smart." Chihiro slammed the brakes and skidded the car onto an exit. "Goddamn. I hate fucking Texas. Hot ass air that actually tastes like dirt."

Nikita chuckled. "Next one is in Virginia, just outside DC."

"Mmmm. Hot air that takes like hot air courtesy of all those politicians." Chihiro slammed the brakes again as they came up on the check station. She smiled. "Hello sailor."

The young man with a clipboard frowned. "I am a soldier ma'am. Identification please."

Nikita passed over their cards. "We called about doing albedo testing in the Return Sample Vault."

The soldier went down his list. "Ah yes." He leaned in and gave back the IDs. "You are cleared to the Lunar Sample facility Doctor." He looked at Chihiro stonily. Drive...slowly... down this road. There will be posts with arrows to follow."

Chihiro accelerated like a bat out of hell as soon as the post went up. Nikita laughed. "You know you should play cool. There's a Guardian around here somewhere."

"And you think that shrimpy Napoleon is him." Chihiro looked her askew almost missing a turn but shrieking tires and a bit of flying turf got them back on track.

Nikita walked down the hall of the sample lab. Chihiro had gotten buttonholed by a Japanese scientist in the lobby. She pulled on clean room garments and gloves and entered the lab. She looked over at a monitor at his station. "I would like to access lot 1723a, please." The monitor smiled and nodded. He lifted his hand to indicate a side room. She walked toward it to hit the floor hard. She heard a gun.

Rolling quickly to the side she shot her foot up to smash the Guardian's knee. He staggered two steps to the side sending the gun spinning and she pushed up. She kicked to be blocked and returned a block on his punch. Throwing himself to the side he tried to reach the gun under the metal table. She yanked the back of his neck hard to hit his head into the metal with a ring sound. She dragged him toward the side room. Chihiro came in.

Nikita waved her in. "Son of a bitch," Chihiro barked. "Why do you get all the fun?"

Nikita's eyes rolled. "Just get the box and let's get the hell out of here."