Set before the epilogue in 4x06 "Cancelled". Mikita mess around in the grocery store.
Although the Shop was defeated, Amanda was locked away in a hole, and the former rogues were seen as heroes, they couldn't live their happily ever afters just yet. Paperwork and red-tape for their pardons and reinstated identities had to be cleared, and a lot of questions still had to be answered. Until then, Michael, Nikita, Birkhoff, Sonya, and Sam were stuck on the military base. Alexandra Udinov, who had already had her identity reinstated, could have her own place, but she was also constantly called to answer questions. The team was free. They just couldn't live their own lives yet. They had to wait a few more months.
Michael and Nikita made the best of it. They used their time on the base to look for a beach house to eventually move into. They also made plans for the future that was so undeniably theirs. The most concrete of their ideas was their marriage. The instant the two had real identities, they were going to get married. It was going to be completely legal and completely binding. Nothing could break them apart again.
While they waited for their bright futures, however, they had to treat their borrowed house on the base as their home. Michael jokingly called it their starter home. Although Nikita rolled her eyes and groaned at the thought, she secretly loved it. She loved even more that, while they were living on base- and while the government was figuring out their reparation payments- they were given a stipend. Most of that went to clothes, toiletries, and food. But Nikita saved some away for their real home. Michael agreed that that was a far better use of the money.
Since the two didn't know when they'd be free of the military base, they tried not to buy too much food or toiletries when they shopped; they didn't want them to go to waste once they moved. Going to the grocery store then became an almost weekly thing. Neither Michael nor Nikita minded it. They liked the normalcy of it. They liked feeling like real people and a real couple. Because, for once, they were. There were no more missions, no more looking over their shoulders. It was just them and their new boring life. It was perfect.
It was also freeing. Nikita and Michael felt as though a huge weight had been lifted off their shoulders. They didn't have to be so careful in public. They didn't have to remain on guard. They didn't have to be so serious all the time. The two were allowed to be silly and ridiculous, always making jokes, pulling pranks, being annoying, and getting under their skin. All the engaged couple wanted to do then was laugh and smile. After the hell they had been through, especially recently, they deserved it.
They also didn't hold back from it. Even while the two were shopping, they were as ridiculous as possible. That week was no exception. As soon as the couple entered the grocery store, Nikita became distracted. The featured foods were being presented near the shopping cart corral, and there was a sale on fruit that she could not ignore. Michael let her be distracted. She could grab some fruit while he grabbed a cart. He should've been able to take one before she was done, yet every cart he grabbed had squeaky or wobbly wheels. It quickly irritated him, "Is there a buggy without a broken wheel?"
"What did you just say?" Nikita turned towards Michael with the biggest shiteating grin on her face. She had never heard another word for a shopping cart (besides when Alex once forgot the English word for it). So hearing Michael mutter one under his breath was a complete surprise, especially since there was a slight southern twang on it. 'Buggy' was probably one of those regional words- like saying pop instead of soda. In his frustration, Michael must've reverted back to his Southern roots. Nikita was going to have fun messing with him for that.
"Cart," Blushing, Michael knew it was too late to correct himself. No matter how many times he repeated 'cart', Nikita would only hear 'buggy'. He was screwed.
"No. You said 'buggy'," Nikita burst into laughter. For some reason, she always found it hilarious and endearing whenever Michael exposed his Southern roots. Maybe it was because it gave her a glimpse of him he tried not to show. Or maybe it was because it gave her easy ammo to tease him with, "Is that how y'all talk down south? 'Alright, y'all, Imma go to the county store and wrangle me up a buggy'."
"Why do I talk to you?" Michael hid his chuckles at her terrible southern accent behind a sigh. He grabbed the first cart he could and wheeled it over to Nikita. They just ignored the sharp squeaks. It'd fade as they talked and laughed.
"Cause you love me," Standing on the front end of the shopping cart, Nikita dumped the fruit she had grabbed into the basket. She beamed at Michael. He had to fight his own bright smile to remain annoyed.
"Yeah. Yeah. Whatever," Michael tipped the cart, making Nikita lose balance and stumble backwards. While she glared at him, he finally laughed and smiled. She just rolled her eyes and led him further into the grocery store.
Soon, they reached the produce section, and he stopped the cart to fish for their shopping list out of his pocket. Nikita decided to pay Michael back while he was distracted. She climbed into the cart, shoved aside the fruit she had already grabbed, and made herself comfortable in the basket. When he glanced up and saw her, he instantly became annoyed. Even mundane tasks were made more difficult by her. He did enjoy that sometimes, just not when he was the one who suffered, "Get out of the cart."
"Why? You said you wanted to hit up the gym more. Here's your chance to do some weights," Nikita made herself more comfortable in the cart. She didn't really accomplish that. Yet she did annoy Michael more, which was always fun.
"Fine. Stay in the cart like the baby you are," Shopping list in hand, Michael pushed the cart forward with a harsh shove. Nikita jostled against the side and gasped in offense. Michael copied her gasp and shoved the cart again. Her glare probably would've been more menacing if she wasn't sitting in the cart like a little kid.
Shaking his head, Michael chuckled and carried on with the shopping. Nikita wasn't done being a nuisance, however. The instant his hands were off the cart, she grabbed hold of a shelf and pushed herself down the aisle. Michael could only laugh when he noticed her. She smiled proudly and surged towards her destination, "I'll just grab the tomatoes."
Nikita and Michael continued to shop like that for a while. As they grabbed food and shared taunts, they used the cart to annoy one another. Their laughter and smiles never waned; though, sometimes, they were mixed with glares and eye rolls. The engaged couple had fun while they checked off the items on their list. It might've been stupid, but it made them happy.
Eventually, Nikita spotted some familiar faces in a nearby aisle. Birkhoff and Sonya were also on a joyful shopping trip, laughing at their own little jokes and comments; though, neither of them were in the shopping cart. Nikita scooted her way down to them, leaving Michael behind. That made Birkhoff laugh harder, and it made Sonya cross to her and pull her faster down the aisle, "Well, well, well. Look who it is."
"Even in a cart she can wander away from you," Birkhoff couldn't stop laughing. He had spotted Michael and Nikita first, and had pointed them out to Sonya with a snarky comment. It wasn't surprising that Nikita had climbed into the shopping cart, and that she was using that to mess with Michael. It also wasn't surprising that he gave as good as he got. It was just nice to see the two so happy and playful (it was made better by the fact that Birkhoff didn't have to witness their shenanigans while trapped in a safehouse with them).
"It's a buggy actually," Before Michael could snarkily reply to Birkhoff, Nikita found a way to make fun of him. The hackers glanced at the engaged couple in confusion, yet Nikita looked up at Michael with a proud smirk. He glared.
"Bye," Michael pushed the shopping cart further down the aisle. Whereas Nikita gasped in disbelief, Sonya and Birkhoff laughed- especially when she had to grab hold of a shelf to keep from going too far. Michael's proud half smile pulled at his lips. She probably would've been more mad at him if she didn't find that expression so attractive. He knew that, which was why he had no problem adding to the insult by ordering her, "While you're down there, get some cereal."
She only grabbed the cereal she liked, but Michael was alright with that. He waved goodbye to Sonya and Birkhoff, knowing they were going to talk and meet up later; then he hurried to join Nikita. The two continued what they had been doing. But by the time they reached the cold foods section, Michael attempted to put an end to it. They were running out of room in the shopping cart, and he didn't want to pile cold and frozen foods on top of Nikita. She had to be an adult then, "Okay. It's time to get out of the cart."
"What cart? This is a buggy," Although Nikita agreed that it was time for her to climb out, she kept giving Michael hell. He immediately jerked the cart back and forth, slamming her against the side. She settled the food in the basket before she threw her retaliating taunt, "Give me whiplash. I dare you."
"Go grab milk. I dare you," Michael playfully shoved his face into Nikita's. She glared for a second, then she kissed him. He was so surprised by her actions, he couldn't think of another way to retaliate. He just laughed and helped her get out of the cart.
While Nikita got the milk, Michael grabbed some other items in the section. He was too busy thinking about their kiss and smiling, that he didn't notice her coming up behind him. Until she pressed the freezing cold milk against the back of his neck. His knees buckled as he yelped, and she squealed in laughter. That was it. Their games were over. They were going to start playing to win, "Alright. That's it. You're going down."
From that moment on, Michael and Nikita tried to make the other jump by placing the cold food they grabbed against the other's skin. Nikita was faster and sneakier than Michael, so she quickly gained the upperhand. But he wasn't far behind, especially since he knew how easily distractible she was in a grocery store. Once they reached the ice cream aisle, he had the perfect opportunity to strike and even the score. She caught onto his plan, however, and she escaped with the cart into the next aisle.
There, Nikita found Sonya and Birkhoff again. She quickly ducked behind Birkhoff and frantically studied the area for Michael. Both hackers were startled and confused, yet Nikita didn't offer up any explanations, "Hey guys. Fancy seeing you here."
"Where's Michael?" Glancing around the aisle, Sonya wondered. Nikita and Michael must've been up to new antics if she was out of the shopping cart and running around. Sonya wanted to know what they were. Not so much to satisfy her curiosity, but so she could turn to Birkhoff and make fun of them for it.
"Trying to kill me," Nikita still didn't explain. She probably could've successfully avoided Michael if she roped Sonya and Birkhoff into their ridiculous game. But where was the fun in that.
"Glad you're having fun," Birkhoff rolled his eyes. He was going to move away from Nikita, but then he saw Michael creeping up the aisle. He held up a tub of ice cream, pointed to his fiancée, and motioned for Birkhoff to stay quiet. The hacker soon caught onto what was occurring. He blocked Nikita's view of her fiancé and distracted her from his approach. Michael was then able to sneak up behind her, lift her blouse, and press the frozen ice cream against the small of her back.
Nikita squealed and stumbled against the cart. Michael, Birkhoff, and Sonya burst into laughter. She couldn't remain annoyed while they sounded so happy. She just ripped the ice cream out of Michael's hands and tossed it into the shopping cart.
The two stayed in the aisle for a bit longer, talking to Sonya and Birkhoff. They agreed to have dinner and go see a movie together that weekend, then they finally parted ways. Michael and Nikita headed towards a checkout line. They chose the shortest one, but they still had to wait a while. As they did, Nikita eyed the nearby candy and treats. When she thought Michael wasn't looking, she took a pack of bubblegum and tried to move it into the cart. She wasn't as sneaky as she believed that time, though.
"I can see you," Michael stared at Nikita. She didn't break eye contact. She just kept slowly moving the bubblegum into the shopping cart. He sighed. He had no reason to actually stop her. She could buy whatever she wanted, and so could he, "Grab me one too."
They made it through checkout without any further incident. But when the engaged couple were back in the parking lot, the antics started up again. Nikita stood on the shopping cart and had Michael push her along. He did so without complaint, but that was only because they were approaching a hill. The instant they reached it, he let go of the cart with one last shove. Nikita and the food went sailing down the asphalt.
Her bright peels of joyful laughter could be heard across the lot. Michael laughed along with her as he slowly made his way down the hill. Unfortunately, her giggles quickly turned into curses. A car began to back out of its spot, not noticing Nikita or the shopping cart. She hurriedly jumped to her feet and jerked back the cart. She had to drop into a squat to be able to abruptly stop the squealing wheels. She managed to avoid impact just in time. Although she then sighed in relief, Michael frantically called out as he hurried to catch up, "You okay?"
"Yeah!" Nikita called back. She stood back up and waved her apologies to the driver. They ignored her. She just shrugged and waited for them to pass and for Michael to catch up to her. He was by her side in no time. Seeing for himself that she was fine, he was also able to shrug off the incident. The engaged couple shook their heads and laughed awkwardly. The rest of their trek to the car was slow and careful; though, they still found things to smile about, "And you thought our adventures were over."
"Never," Michael kissed Nikita. Both beamed. They soon reached the car, loaded the groceries into the trunk, returned the cart, and drove to their starter home. Of course their adventures continued as they put the food away and settled in for the night. Yet the engaged couple were okay not having a quiet moment. Their happy laughter was better than anything else in the world. There was nothing holding them back or weighing them down. The two were free.