This story is written for entertainment purposes only. If you're under age, scram. And BTW, children's Internet use should be monitored by their parents, not me.
Sonya felt like she was on a roller coaster. Her self-esteem slowly climbed inch by inch and just when she thought she had it figured out, she would free fall downward, while inwardly screaming, "I must be bloody insane!" As the evening amusement-ride rounded the corner, she heard muffled voices and rather than go through another interrogation session like she had with Owen, she ducked in the Ladies room. She was almost afraid to look at herself in the mirror, but when she did, instead of cringing, she was rather surprised at what she saw.
Her hair was a mass of curls and rather than straightening it with a flat iron and pinning it up, she had invested in some overpriced hair products. The woman at the salon told her to scrunch it up with her hands and let it dry naturally. It was actually pretty cute and her hair smelled like grapefruit and that made her happy.
She had skipped the false lashes; it was way too much fuss for the reward and opted for a few extra coats of mascara. Her eyelids shimmered with a dramatic color of green and just like the girl on you-tube said, it flattered her deep brown eyes. She had finished with a dramatic lip liner in deep coral and filled it in with lot of shiny gloss. All in all, it wasn't bad.
Being small in height and stature, Sonya did everything she could to avoid looking like a teenager. She had overcompensated with either mature or conservative looking clothes and shoes. What she really wanted was to be taken seriously and she thought this was the means to an end. There was no denying the tight white t-shirt over her new red satin VS bra was very sexy and the extra padding gave her a little boost, both in confidence and chest size. She was pleased to know she still looked like a woman and not a fan waiting in line for a One Direction concert.
Her denim jeans were crazy expensive but she realized her butt had never looked better and although they fit like a glove, they were also quite comfortable. The studded leather belt and those boots with the straps wound around them made a statement. "Be my slave" they mocked, and she quite liked that. Sonya didn't feel cheap and tawdry, and for the first time since she started this private "mission" she felt empowered and self-assured.
She was startled out of her new found confidence when one of the toilets flushed with a whooshing sound. Like everything in Division, the sound bounced around the hard surfaces.
Alex walked out tucking in her blouse and looked surprised to see Sonya standing there with a startled look on her face. To say she was surprised was an understatement.
"Hey, you're not working tonight, are you?" She checked out the woman in front of her and said, "You look really incredible. I love your hair and those boots are to die for!"
Sonya was relieved that Alex didn't laugh at her. "Thank you, you don't think it's too much, do you?"
"Not at all." Alex went to the sink and washed her hands. She pulled down a paper towel and gave her a knowing smile. "You look like you're prepped and ready for a fun night. Nikita once told me that we all have a side to our personalities just waiting to be tapped. I'd say you found yours."
Sonya rather liked that. "I thought I was doing all this to please Seymour, but I just realized, I've done it for me."
"And that's the best way to feel, isn't it? I use to really hate how I looked." They both knew her past was dark and sordid. "It's ironic, but it was Amanda who taught Nikita how to be a chameleon and feel good about how she looked. Nikita passed that basic philosophy on to me. Looks like you've managed to figure that out on your own."
There were times like this, where Sonya's smile would light up an entire room. "Thanks Alex. I appreciate the vote of confidence."
He finally got it. Now he understood why Michael always dressed so well. It made you stand up straight and that aura of authority, or maybe it was superiority, felt good. Having a custom fitted dress shirt and a suit tailored was really worth the extra money. He admired the perfect length of his sleeves and the placing of the buttons. He appreciated how comfortable and soft the silk shirt felt against his skin. He understood why it was important to have the hem of your pants break in just the right place, and how you could feel taller wearing a jacket that hung just so on your frame. It was kind of a revelation to know he could look this good and still bypass ninety-nine percent of the firewalls on the planet.
Birkhoff knew it was more than a little twisted to constantly meet up at work, but he never felt at home in his new apartment like he did in his digs in Division. He felt comfortable surrounded by towers filled with hard drives and computer servers. He like his video console that was loaded with his favorite games, but most of all he liked knowing that he'd survived all the years he spent under Percy's watch.
He almost expected to see her sitting in his swivel chair, her ear piece in, tapping on the keys and studying the monitor with those huge doe-like eyes. She was brilliant, and if truth be told, much smarter than he was. Birkhoff always had that streak of enthusiasm, motivation and competitiveness to be the best at what he did, but so did Sonya. It was just packaged differently.
Luck was on his side, he had beaten her to his room. Earlier in the day, he had set out a dozen votive candles in colorful glass holders and now he took a moment to light them. They flickered nicely in the climate controlled environment. Next he went to the refrigerator in the corner of the room and pulled out a chilled bottle of French champagne and two crystal flutes that he stole from Percy and Amanda's old office. He set them down next to a box of salted caramels that he knew she loved.
He even made a special playlist for her: I Want You… Unchained Melody… Truly, Madly, Deeply… Crazy in Love… I'm Yours… I'll Make Love to You… Sara Smile... Beautiful Ones... He set his iPod in it's cradle and pressed play and Marvin Gaye's sensual voice warmed the room.
There was a soft knock on the door and he lowered the lights.