Rumors…

They blanket the entire building. Some say that Michael and Nikita are together for real this time, not just when they are on a mission like when they posed as dealers Peter and Sage in the Bauer Mission.

I absolutely hated that assignment.

Not only was I not assigned as back-up with my team, but I also had to hear about its lurid details from the gossip floating about Section. I heard Michael and Nikita had gotten close, like super close during that mission because they had to act like a married couple in every way. I had to fight back tears when thoughts of what other ways did they have to be for them to be convincing to Bauer while he was employing them. I heard Madeline even made them kiss in her office to see if they would be believed as a couple in love. They passed this little test because there was no more said and the mission went on as scheduled. They were gone for only a few days, staying at Bauer's house, all the while posing as the infamous couple.

I should have been Sage.

I was more like Sage than Nikita could ever be. Madeline stuck a God-awful wig on her head for some reason. Sage didn't even have black hair, but Madeline put that wig on Nikita anyway. It would not have been that difficult of a stretch to just use me instead of Nikita on that mission. I looked more like Sage's age, could act like her, and most importantly, could have pulled off being in love easily.

I already was!

Madeline would not have had to make me kiss Michael to prove we would be believed. She probably would have had to pull me off of him the second she asked me to be convincing. God only knows what went on. Whatever did go on, it strongly affected Michael. He didn't talk to anyone after that mission. He almost disappeared altogether, only emerging from his office to run a report to Command or to Communications to call a mission.

Nikita…

Well, she got a few days to "cool off" while Operations and Madeline handled further details with Bauer. Usually, someone like Bauer could tally up his last minutes on his hand once he gave up all the information Section wanted. However, Bauer wasn't disposed of. They let him live. Even got a little chummy with him, swapping flutes of champagne with him. Nikita, in her usual sanctimonious way, complained about Bauer living. She wanted justice for the innocent people that were killed in the bank. I watched her throwing her little tantrum from across the floor, acting like she was going to shoot Bauer right then and there as he talked with Madeline and Operations in Command.

She's so damn dramatic.

I knew she wasn't going to do anything. Hell, the whole damn building knew, but I guess she felt the need to put on the show. I couldn't help but scoff a bit at her act. I mean, c'mon. Get real, girl! If ever there was a moment that I wanted to slap her hard across the face, that was it. She had gotten to go on a Semi-Valentine mission with the King of all Valentines. That mission was cherry-picked for her, and she got to finish the mission with high regards from both Operations and Madeline for its success.

So what Bauer was allowed to live!

Section will let any despicable ingrate walk among the population if they feel there is a valid and valuable need for them to remain among the living. I could bet, the second Bauer became no longer necessary, he would find himself a victim of his own makings and Nikita wouldn't have to worry about wasting a bullet.

Not that she was ever going to do it anyway...