Nikita couldn't stop thinking about the damn circle of life song. As they approached the loft- her first safehouse in that fucking war- she couldn't stop thinking about how different it should've been. She shouldn't have ever seen that place again after blowing it up. She shouldn't have been continuously on the run from Amanda and the Shop. She shouldn't have been betrayed by a friend. Instead, she should've been at some little beach house with her husband and daughter, living a peaceful and free life. But history kept repeating itself. It was as though she was trapped in a never ending circle. The team won and lost and won and lost. There didn't seem to be an end. And then their children were trapped in the same hell.
She always knew her daughter was just like her. Nikita could see herself and Michael reflected so strongly in Pj. Their daughter was perfect; there was no denying that. She just wished she had better. Pj should've had the happy life Nikita was denied. That was what she had been fighting so hard for. Her daughter deserved the entire world. Unfortunately, her entire world had been distorted by the Shop. She was dragged into a war that started before she was born. Hell, it was started before her parents were even together. It wasn't fair. All that hurt and sorrow should've been kept from her. Nikita thought that was what she and Michael were doing by leaving. They could protect their daughter from all that cruelty. They just led Pj down that path, however.
They didn't know what to expect once they finally reached the loft. The team was oh so willing to embrace their children again, and actually have the time to talk with them. Yet after Sam, what kind of hurt emotions were they going to have to sift through. Apparently not much. Their kids were dead asleep as they arrived. They startled at the sound of their parents, but soon settled; there was no need to worry, they would be safe. Nikita and Michael were worried when they couldn't find Pj with the others, though. The two couldn't bear to think that something had happened to her. Fortunately, she was just sleeping upstairs with her dog (the same dog that bit Alex- Nikita was excited to see that reencounter). She readied for a fight when they woke her. However, once they smiled at her she collapsed into their arms.
Holding her daughter as she cried, Nikita's heart broke. She thought she could've protected her from everything. She was from then on, though. She swore that Pj would never be hurt ever again. Michael made the same promise. Their family wasn't going to suffer any longer. They were going to defeat the evil and bring everyone home. All of them had made mistakes they needed to atone for. But they could do so together. For the moment, however, the whole team needed to discuss things. After comforting each other, the Mears-Bishops moved downstairs to join the others. Embraces and loving words were shared all around. Everyone was so relieved to reunite (Alex even liked Missy since she wasn't snapping at her). But they had to talk. They so desperately needed to talk to one another.
Children and parents sat around the makeshift living room, discussing how they knew about the information leak; it was the easiest topic to start with. Ryan had known where his team was hiding out, so he ran to them the instant Owen was turned to Sam. He told them of the betrayal, forcing Alex and Nikita to crash a suspected Shop network to steal a black book. When that failed, they turned to their Triad contacts. The story went over well with their kids. But the second they shared that Pj had first gone rogue, Nikita snapped at Ryan, "My daughter went rogue and you didn't say anything?"
"I thought she'd return while I was gone. James went after her," Ryan tried to defend himself. It was of no use. Nikita and Michael were shocked and livid at the danger, shouting about it. Sean and Birkhoff were holding back laughter- like mother, like daughter. Sonya and Cassandra attempted to keep the peace, while their kids sat in silence. They knew they couldn't say anything to fix that.
"You went rogue too?" Alex added to the fire by addressing her son. Out of her three kids, James was the last she'd expect to go rogue; she also hadn't expected him to grow out his hair and sport scruff on his cheeks. Kara and Oliver began to tease their brother, however. He hadn't actually gone against his team, he had just followed a girl. James fought his blush at the comment, and Max glanced at Pj to see if she had the same look. She simply rolled her eyes.
"No. Jamie's too much of a Boy Scout. Besides, I did more than okay on my own," Indicating the pile of intel and evidence she had collected, Pj smirked. Ryan stopped defending himself to study it over; he was impressed. They all were.
Except that wasn't the point. Pj should've known better than to have run off, despite her parents doing the same. She was lucky enough to have her friends chase after her. But she needed to realize they all had to be alive at the end of their crusade. That was the only way they could all get home. Michael was stern as he turned towards his daughter and repeated words he was sure he had said to her mother, "It's not about that."
"Told you," Max muttered to his sister. Pj nudged him in retaliation. Michael's lecture was lost on his son and daughter bickering. He wasn't as annoyed over it; he was glad the two got along so well. Then wasn't the time for them to fight, however. Nikita and Cassandra snapped at them to settle down. Maybe not that much had changed over the ten years. At least on the surface.
"You wanna say that to my 'wall of crazy', Maxi-Pad," Full of snark and confidence, Pj made everyone study her progress. Nikita didn't want to even consider what she had done to get all of that intel. Neither did Michael. Their daughter was already too much like them. All they could do was examine her intel to not let their decisions overwhelm them.
The parent team- they probably needed a better way of differentiating the teams- added their own information to what their children had gathered. There was a lot to sort through. Ryan was making quick work of that, while Birkhoff and Sonya worked with Felicity on the electronic files. More gaps had to be filled in before everyone else could completely understand, however. Sean brought them back to the matter at hand as he summed up what his kids told him, "Let's refocus. You got your intel from Triad and black books."
"Yes. So far we've stolen two black books," Kara gave a quick rundown of the first mission to get a black book. She still didn't know about the second book, that was Pj's op. But she explained their leads, how they acquired the electronic drive, and their fight afterwards. Amused glances shot to Nikita as they processed the news. She ignored them. Besides, based off of James' need to follow Pj, how Kara shared information, Oliver's eye rolls, Max's attitude about being reckless, and Felicity's boasting over her hacks, she could shoot Sean, Alex, Michael, Cassandra, Sonya, and Birkhoff the same looks. Their kids took after them in more than just appearance. They could discuss that later.
"Technically, I stole them," Pj briefly described grabbing the latest black book with James. She didn't delve deeply into it, only that she could take her friend in a fight with one arm behind her back. James battled the blush creeping on his cheeks remembering what happened after their sparring. Their parents wanted to ask what exactly was occurring between them. They also wondered about how close Kara and Max sat next to each other, and the gazes shared between Oliver and Felicity. The kids had always been close, yet that seemed different.
"We get it. Your way worked better than ours," However, Oliver started an argument. Pj was proud of herself, as her team got onto her for doing something dangerous. Although Nikita agreed with that sentiment, she supported her daughter; sometimes, being a rogue worked. That caused her team to get involved. They were all shouting and bickering, years of anguish coming loose. There was no stopping the flow, but maybe they shouldn't. With their emotions out in the open, parents and kids could move on together. They'd be able to heal as one. For the moment, it was sibling against sibling, parent against child, and spouse against spouse. Once they finally put voice to all their thoughts, they'd refocus and become stronger than ever.
Missy didn't know what to do with herself. She wanted to protect Pj, but the yelling was too much. She stood by her owner, waiting for it to be over. Fortunately, James put an end to it soon. He reached for Pj and pulled up her shirt revealing her bruised ribs. She fought him off of her. Although he landed harshly on his ass, his point was made. The room fell deadly silent at her injuries and his hurt voice, "Being a rogue doesn't save anyone."
"Who the hell hurt you?" Michael approached his daughter, livid. Not at Pj, never at her. He was ready to tear whoever hurt her limb from limb. Nikita expressed the same feeling, though she approached gently to tend to the injury. The anger in the room shifted from hurt feelings and one another, to their enemies. Their own decisions led them to where they were. But the Shop was the one to hurt them repeatedly. It was time to get their shit together and defeat the evil once and for all.
"I worked at the fighting ring. Triad got me in," Pj lost her bragging edge. She didn't mention winning her fights and earning much needed cash. With the concern her parents were showing, it wasn't the time. She'd let them take care of her, and be a tad more compliant when relaying information.
"You were there that night?" Nikita struggled to not overthink. Pj explained she had gotten the black book from a manager; of course it was the one from the underground ring. She followed the intel she found straight to them. However, Nikita didn't want to think about her daughter being there during her and Alex's raid. She didn't want to think about the missed opportunity to hold her tightly and never let go. And she definitely didn't want to think about how close she was to the danger.
Instead, Nikita listened to Pj and James give more details of their op. The manager returned to the room, and after some persuasion gave them the book. He had assumed Pj was her mother at first, however; it was as though he wanted Nikita to come back for the intel. The children then explained how they knew Sam was meant to set a trap for his team. The black book was intended to be stolen- there was false information on it. The junkyard meet was nothing but a set up. It was possible it was a good thing they all went to the triad for information. They were able to get the same details. Alex expressed that with a shrug and a small smile, "I guess it's a good thing we're so alike."
"I don't know. It's kinda annoying," Birkhoff playfully nudged at his daughter. Giggles filled the room. Lightness came back, and smiles were easily shared between everyone. Only great things would happen from there on. That should've been true. Families and teams were reunited, and they were working together to be better. They were able to joke and tease. Things were looking up.
"Then we should be enough to take down the Shop," More determined than she had ever been, Sonya replied. That motivated Pj to excitedly share her fund idea. Take away the Shop's money, and their whole organization would crumble. Felicity added to her point with things she had uncovered. Kara also revealed her more succinct plan of action, while Max, James, and Oliver supplied their own opinions. Their parents were impressed. Though, they did have to refine the idea a bit so it wasn't so rash.
"Then we kill Amanda. And go home," Nikita wrapped the scheme up. That was their mission plan, and they would be no deviation. No one was going to disagree. It was all they had wanted for years- since the beginning of that damned crusade. It was about time they finally got what they wanted. They deserved to.
Alex, however, mentioned a thought running through a lot of their minds. What did they do once they got home. They had been running for so long. They didn't know how to settle down. It was said jokingly, a reference to something Nikita said once, but her sentiment was clear. Then what, "And do that security firm thing?"
"Home and work together," Michael suggested simply. It wasn't so much a question for him. He didn't want to leave his team. Leave the spy life, absolutely. But his team was his extended family. He'd have his son and daughter, his wife, and all of his friends by his side. That was an easy choice to make. Nikita and Pj agreed. The two shared a glance and a bright smile. There they went, off to save the world as one big happy family. Sure, there were still things that needed discussing and healing from. But they were ready to face it all together.
"Then we got something to focus on. Home together."