Her past made its presence known in that room as Darnell's feet swept across the floor. Darnell. The first guy she ever trusted or mistrusted, she thought. The guy who took her virginity. The guy she had to turn away from to become the woman she was today. Somewhere inside, Nikki lived. Her unresolved issues were flooding to the surface, her skin felt hot. She hadn't been face to face with him since Phoenix. The room was invisible yet untidy with everyone's baggage. As convoluted as their tales were; it all made sense.

Caroline was right, although Nicole hated to admit it. She left her a long time ago. Abandoned her for Darnell and his sweet and endless promises. Seventeen like the dancing queen and none the wiser. Darnell; a name and a definition. He was the line between right and wrong. In order to do the right thing; all those years ago Nicole crossed him. Not satisfied with being the Bonnie to his Clyde, she started off as an informant. A rookie. The eyes and ears of an operation that extended from the inner city street corners to suburban homes to the sky liners that stood tall in the city centre. As time progressed; she felt a shift. She was changing into her own woman; Nikki was being outgrown by Nicole. Then she met Antonio Cortez. Charming, wise and astute. And she kept him on his toes; some things never change.

The night when she shot Antonio solidified her loyalty to Darnell forever. Forever was a hell of a long time. They lived in different worlds now. Nicole felt reborn; unbound to the ties that once held her to him with a dependency so strong she put her autonomy aside. No, not now.

"Nikki, baby," he said with the brass cockiness that hadn't faded with time.

"It's Nicole and I'm not your baby." Nicole watched him as closely as a hawk, preparing herself for any swift movements. He laughed lightly as stood with his arms folded. Marking his territory. Great, Nicole thought.

"To what do I owe this pleasure?" Nicole asked.

"Come on, lighten up; it's a reunion. Old friends, family."

"We're not friends and I'll be damned if we're family. Cut to the chase. I know you didn't come here to plead on her behalf." Caroline looked up; since Darnell strolled in, she couldn't look Nicole in her eyes. That would be enough ammunition for an ass-kicking.

"What did you do Darnell? Diamond heist? Armed robbery?"

He responded with a mocking laughter. "Cut the bullshit Nikki, you know and I know that there are three criminals in this room and none of us need help with wiping our bloody hands clean. Not even you. You know what I want."

"Cally, get out." Nicole ordered while her eyes were in a deadlock with Darnell's.

"I'm not the little girl you can just push around and expect…"

"Expect me to kick your ass if you don't give us space. And don't even think of leaving. You've put yourself in line for the chair and if the state doesn't kill you I will for bringing me face to face with the biggest mistake of my life."

Caroline leant against the chalky brick wall, smoking a cigarette.

"You outdid yourself D."

"Thank you."

"You used innocent deaths to get my attention. Selected people with enough connections to me so you knew this case would land on my desk and I'd come running. Only for Caroline."

"That's you Nikki; that's your soft spot. You always have to be the hero. And family; that's your kryptonite. I've never seen someone go from streetwise to sentimental with the mention of a few names. Kelly, Caroline, Ella."

The last name stabbed her heart; jolted her like electricity. The silence was encapsulating.

"I always liked that name. Did you think I'd forget? Two people have already died to get you here Nikki, I tried to reach you but you keep ignoring me. I hate to be ignored. If you don't give her back to me, I swear I'll leave a trail of blood behind and it will all be your fault."

"You wouldn't."

"It's already begun; that girl is mourning because you couldn't pick up the phone. I want Ella and I'll kill to get her back."

"Then you're the most sadistic fool I've ever known. You're wasting your time; there is no Ella. Look at you; killing for leverage. I spared her."

The room went black. She couldn't feel a thing. Voices were heard as Nicole faded in and out of reality.

"…attempted murder…"

"…The patient incurred significant damage to the…"

"…convicted felon Darnell…"

"…conspiracy to murder…"

Nicole regained consciousness from a four-day coma.

"If you wanted a vacation, you should have asked." She never thought she'd be happier to hear Pollock's voice. Her face was felt light but her body was fatigued; it hurt to laugh even though she had no reason.

"Nicole," Antonio was standing over her; analysing her bodily injuries.

"Not now Agent," Pollock stated, "She'll have a million tomorrows to discuss this with you, not today."

Antonio sat down and Nicole gave Pollock a thankful look. Jess' shaking hands were holding a cup of cold coffee and a cosmetics bag.

"I'm not one for feelings so…welcome back Agent." Pollock signalled for Antonio to leave them alone.

"Nicole,"

"Don't apologise, Jess. It's not your fault. I shouldn't have tried to solve this one alone. I hate to admit it, but I need you guys. Almost as much as you need me. Cally, I mean Caroline hasn't been right for a long time. She needs help and if that means being carried away in a strait jacket and strapped to a bed then that's how it as to be."

"I never saw it coming."

"Jess; you have a gift but you're not God. The truth hurts, it's not rosy."

"The visions were about you?"

"When I had the abortion, I was protecting myself, my body, my baby. I had nothing to give her and there's no way that I would have put her in a home. The world didn't need another screwed up Nikki; I wanted more for her than that."

"That's one hell of a sacrifice Nicole but I don't understand how Pollock knows."

"He paid for it."

"What?"

"It was my decision and I wasn't an Agent yet. I promised that if he helped me to change my life so I could better myself and not just become another statistic; then I wouldn't disappoint him. And I haven't."

"But you're defiant and he's always critical of you."

"He's just holding me accountable; that's his way of getting the best of me by never making it easy."

"In theory that's great but he doesn't think that Antonio is right for you."

"He doesn't think that I'm right for Antonio. Without each other; we'd be perfect Agents but we're each other's kryptonite."

"Well you need to explain this to him because I don't think we can afford for this to happen again. You don't have any other ex-boyfriends with grudges, do you?"

"No. Except the one who was listening at the door."

Nicole was applying makeup while Antonio paced around the hospital room. She tried to move her body to the right, not to much avail.

"You look like you're having a fit," he joked.

"I'm trying to make space for you to sit so you can stop avoiding me like the plague." He sat down beside her.

"I was worried; not that medical science wouldn't prevail but,"

"That I wouldn't make it."

"Nic, I realised that there are no certainties. Not in the bureau, not in life."

"And not with me? Is that what you're trying to say? That I'm a flake? Wait, is this about the baby? If you want to know why I didn't tell you, I can't explain that part."

"What if it was my baby?"

"It wasn't."

"What if it was? Come on Nic, the timing was…"

"Don't turn this into a Maury Povich paternity episode because it. Was. Not. Your. Baby."

"Answer the question."

"Fine. I didn't and I don't and I won't ever want a baby with anyone but you. I wasn't your first wife, I said no to you in Phoenix. I can't move in with you, give up the Bureau, my apartment, my last name for you. But what about the sacrifices I make? I gave up a baby. I found your ex-wife's sister. I let you meet my mother. I showed you my scars. I come to work late from making love to you. But it's never enough. I put myself out there to die; I took a bullet for you. But I love you so much that I would have died just so you didn't become entangled in this mess."

"I love you Nicole but I can't live as an outsider. I've put my life on pause for you since we met again outside that mall in D.C. I'm tired of getting the short end; having to overhear just so I feel close to you. It's not enough. We can't go back and forth for the rest of our lives and you can't avoid this issue any longer. You came back in one piece. So tell me."

"What?"

"Tell me that I can call U-Haul to empty your apartment. Tell me that your lamp will sit on my nightstand. Tell me that you'll take up three quarters of my closet and won't let me complain about it. Tell me that I'll never have to wonder if you're coming back. Tell me that when you heal and they let you out that it's my apartment that you'll be going home to. Forever."

"All that?"

"Just tell me."

"Not your apartment. And not mine. We need somewhere new to call our own."

"Tell me Nicole."

"Yes."