*10*

Nikita couldn't sleep. She had no idea what time it was as she lay listening to Michael's deep and even breathing, her body curled around his, his strong arms holding her close while she had her fingers tucked between his ribs and the mattress and one leg slung possessively over his. In just a few hours he would have to leave and then this little piece of heaven they had carved out for themselves right here in her loft would disappear with him until he managed to return to her again.

She'd made peace with the fact that he would have to go back to Division, but she couldn't bring herself to relax enough to sleep away their last few hours together. It wasn't that she wasn't tired, because she was. Her and Michael's activities of the day had well and truly exhausted her as they'd thoroughly loved each other quite a few different, but all so very precious - times today.

Michael enjoyed being in control when they made love and even though she could by no means be labeled a passive lover, she was just as happy to completely cede it to him, as she was in taking a more active part. Letting him call the shots made her feel absolutely cherished, like she was the centre of his universe. And she liked that. She liked it a lot, she had found out this morning and then again this afternoon.

Nikita knew this was in no small part due to the fact that Michael was probably the least selfish lover she had ever had. Another something she had learned the last few days and something that had been blatantly reaffirmed when he had taken nothing for himself this afternoon on the sparring mat. He had been focussed solely upon her and bringing her bliss and had seemed to derive his own pleasure from hers. He had played her body like a finely tuned instrument, bringing her to great heights and delivering devastating ecstasy.

It wasn't that he hadn't wanted her then, his body had betrayed that fact all too clearly. There was no way his own arousal could have escaped her attention even if he had completely overloaded all of her senses with his skilful touch and taunting words as he had loved her until her body was as limp as a rag doll's, her bones feeling completely liquified and her muscles relaxed into a state of total uselessness.

She had tried to get him to join her after she had come back to her senses enough to form a coherent thought and had regained some strength in her limbs - the occasional delicious tremor still traveling through her legs - but he had just smiled that heart-stopping smile of his and kissed her sweetly after he'd shaken his head and simply told her, "Later."

Michael had just lain there with her, on the floor, cuddling and kissing her and looking at her as if she were the only thing in the world worthy of his attention, while she enjoyed the after effects of his touch. And then when the slight chill of the room had made goosebumps appear on her cooling skin, he had simply picked her up and taken her into the bathroom where he'd joined her in the shower for a second time that day.

Nikita was sure she would never forget the way he'd held her close to him while warm water washed over them. She didn't have the words to even begin to express how he'd made her feel but she knew she had never felt more cherished or peaceful in her life, just standing there enveloped in his arms, his face resting against the side of hers.

They had shared an intimacy that went far beyond their already very wonderful love making by just being in each others arms, silently holding each other close and surrounded by the warmth of the shower's rushing spray. One of his hands had stroked comfortingly over her shoulders and back, while the other had cradled her head to his shoulder. She'd had her arms loosely wrapped around his waist, her fingers splayed over his smooth skin and her face buried against his neck where her lips rested over his pulse point. His still partly erect flesh had been a warm weight against her belly as they stood pressed together from knee to shoulder.

Nikita didn't recall how long they had stood there basking in each others embrace, what she did know was that the kind of tranquility they had found right there in each others arms was not something you could find with just anybody at any given moment. She had known then and there that this was something that went far beyond anything she'd known before. Something truly special, something uniquely theirs. Something people search for their whole life, while only the lucky ones manage to find it. A thought that had made the love she felt for Michael overflow. Even now as she lay awake, watching him sleep and thinking back to that moment, it added to the sense of belonging, of rightness she felt in his arms.

That same sense of rightness had also flowed through her as they'd stood in the shower this afternoon, when Michael's hands had come round to cup her face, tilting it up to his and kissing her ever so gently as her hands traced along his spine. Her fingers had memorised every protrusion, curve and dip of his vertebrae as they slowly wound their way down, spanning across his narrow waist and dipping into the dimples on his lower back, softly massaging his wet skin and the pronounced muscles underneath.

He had swelled against her belly and she had tilted her hips towards him as she'd raised one hand to reverently touch his jaw. Her other hand had pulled his torso a little closer against her, trapping his length between both their bodies. Their eyes had locked and then it had been the most natural thing in the world for Nikita to loop both of her arms around his neck and shoulders, and for Michael to lift her up against him, fitting their pelvises together but not quite yet joining their bodies.

Nikita had wrapped her long legs around his waist on a sigh as Michael had taken a step and pressed her up against the tiled wall. The back of her head had been protectively cushioned by one of his hands and then he had kissed her again. Slowly and sweetly, taking his time, before dipping his head down to kiss that sensitive spot below her ear and the one on the juncture where her shoulder met her neck, both of which he'd become well acquainted with in the last few days as he had with quite a few other parts of her body.

She had held him to her, twisting her hips the tiniest bit to increase the contact between their sexes while running her fingers through his hair, letting one hand dip lower to caress his neck and shoulder as another sigh escaped her. Her warm breath had fanned his ear as she'd pressed her lips to the edge of his cheekbone and her upper body further into his, her arms tightening around him.

Michael had let out an answering sigh, finding her lips with his again as he'd lifted her up a little more to let his length slip between her folds. And then all Nikita could remember was the heavenly feeling of him filling her up again, slowly but surely, and him breaking their kiss to catch her eyes with his as he rested his forehead against hers.

Just like the first time they had made love, they hadn't had any need for words this time either. Their hearts and bodies speaking to each other loud and clear, elevating that feeling of rightness to a whole new level. Their mouths finding each other over and over while their fingers had stroked and caressed, they had made love leisurely as the water from the shower fell down around them. Time had seemed to slow and then stop altogether as they'd found paradise in each others arms once more.

Afterwards, when they'd both caught their breaths, Michael had gently put Nikita back on her feet and they had taken the time to kiss and caress some more as they had slowly washed each other, quietly treasuring every single moment.

Dinner had been a quiet affair too. Both of them working side by side again in the kitchen to fashion a simple meal from what was left over in her kitchen, which hadn't been much if she was honest. She could add grocery shopping to her list of things to do while she was not bringing down Division tomorrow, she thought ruefully.

Michael stirred in his sleep, tightening his arms around her for a minute or so before he sighed and relaxed again, sleeping on, completely oblivious to her musings. She pressed a kiss to his chest and rested her head over his heart, careful not to wake him. He needed his rest for when he went back to Division tomorrow.

Her nerves about him going back to the lion's den, hadn't completely disappeared, probably never would. But that was nothing new. She had worried about him before, just like she worried about Alex. But that was just the way it was. She'd had to learn to live with that a long time ago.

He was right though about needing to go back. Not doing so would open up a whole other can of worms and going back could speed the search for the remaining black boxes up considerably. And she really needed that. Needed Division to be a thing of the past, so that days like the last two wouldn't have a looming shadow hanging over them that threatened to catch up with her every now and then despite her having become very adept at keeping it at bay.

Nikita pushed these thoughts to the back of her mind, choosing to think of more pleasant things like the way she and Michael had curled up together on her Louis Seize sofa with a glass of wine after dinner. No sense in worrying about stuff you can't change anyway. They had talked about how she'd managed to procure Withfield's loft with a big amount of his super-dollars as an added bonus. About how long she'd been living there, practically in Division's backyard. Almost hiding in plain sight.

Nikita had sniggered and Michael had frowned when she'd told him of the few times she'd recognised a Division agent in the streets. His frown hadn't gone away when she'd told him that aside from one close call, she'd never been in any real danger. Nobody was expecting to see her, so they just didn't and she was always quick enough to disappear. A serious shortcoming in their training she had called it, hoping this would coax at least a hint of a smile from him. But it didn't, so she'd lifted her head from its resting place on his thigh and crawled into his lap to kiss his frown away.

"You have to be more careful", he'd told her when she'd released his lips. She'd smiled at him, loving him for his concern for her and let her hand wander down the side of his face in a loving caress.

"I'm serious Nikita", his voice had taken on its 'handler' quality and she'd had to restrain herself from smiling wider.

"I know you are", she'd tried to placate him. "... and I will be", she had promised him in a gentle tone.

"Percy's orders are shoot to kill, not to capture."

She'd known there wasn't really anything more she could say, so she'd framed his face between her palms and kissed him. Short and sweet the first time, lingering a little longer and nipping his bottom lip the second time, and letting her tongue lightly caress the seem of his lips the third time until he opened up to her and she kissed him with deliberate sensuousness.

"Are you trying to distract me?, Michael had asked just before her lips had descended on his for a fourth time.

Nikita remembered having trouble keeping a straight face as she'd replied innocently, "Is it working?"

The beginnings of a smile had pulled at the corners of his mouth and then she'd kissed him again, unable to resist. Stroking his tongue with hers, exploring his mouth while his hands buried themselves in her hair as he held her to him.

"Yeah", he had whispered huskily, breaking their kiss. His hands had left her hair to fit her hips closer to his.

"Good", she had whispered back, her own smile blossoming as she had felt his body stirring with the beginnings of arousal. She remembered resting her forehead against his and trailing her hands along his arms until her fingers lightly enclosed his wrists and then asking him in a breathy tone, "You want to go to bed?" To which he had replied with another "Yeah", the gravelly tone of his voice much more pronounced this time.

She recalled kissing him again and grabbing his hands with hers as she climbed off of him. She also distinctly remembered him getting up after her and pulling her flush against him, his arms wrapping around her so their joined hands rested in the small of her back, trapping her against him as he'd kissed her deeply.

He had kept her in their passionate kiss while moving them both slowly towards the bed before he had let go of her hands, which she had then immediately put to good use. They had divested each other of their clothes, breaking their kiss only to pull his shirt over his head and her tank top over hers, before tumbling to the bed in a tangled heap of arms and legs, completely naked and laughing.

She thought back on how they had taken their time again to explore each other at length, fingertips charting smooth skin over muscle and bone followed by lips kissing every bit of flesh they could reach. They had savoured every touch, every kiss and every sigh, the heat between them gradually turning into a blazing inferno that could no longer be denied.

A blissful smile stretched her mouth as she listened to his heart beating strong and steady underneath her ear while she thought back to the moment she had eventually collapsed on top of Michael as they both tumbled over the edge and into bliss. She'd taken a little longer to catch her breath than Michael had this time and to her slight surprise he'd fallen asleep on her. She'd bitten back a laugh at that, careful not to wake him, and had found that she couldn't begrudge him succumbing to sleep so soon after at all. To her, it spoke of trust. The kind of trust that enabled him to let down his guard completely with her, something she was intensely grateful for.

Waves of tenderness flowed over her as she looked upon his beloved features relaxed in sleep once more. Nikita placed another sweet kiss over his heart and laid her head back down again, a yawn pulling at the muscles in her jaw. She still didn't really want to go to sleep herself though. This feeling of contentedness as she lay in his arms, his scent filling her nostrils and his warmth permeating her skin everywhere they touched, was just too good to let go of.

If only she weren't so tired, she could watch him all night. She felt her eyelids getting heavier and his arms tightening the tiniest bit around her, one of his hands coming up to tangle in her hair at the base of her skull in his sleep. Another yawn escaped her. This one made her eyes water. Maybe she'd close her eyes for just a second...


The next thing Nikita knew, was the soft caress of Michael's fingertips as he stroked a strand of hair behind her ear. She woke up to find him sitting on the edge of the bed freshly showered and dressed in the suit he'd brought over yesterday morning. No. Not yet. I'm not ready yet. A tiny voice inside her protested as her throat tightened.

The scent of fresh coffee reached her just as Michael placed the steaming cup on the nightstand next to her. He trailed his fingertips over her jaw as she pushed herself up to a sitting position, taking the sheet with her, covering her breasts. His deep voice washed over her while his hand descended further and reached for hers, "Good morning."

Nikita didn't trust her voice to speak just yet and one look in his eyes told her Michael wasn't feeling in the best of spirits to have to be leaving either. She wrapped her arms around his neck, letting the sheet fall away as she pressed her upper body into his, hugging him tight. His arms came around her, his fingers stroking over her warm skin and he gently kissed her shoulder.

They sat like that for a few minutes, drawing strength and comfort from each other until Nikita collected herself enough to speak, her voice slightly muffled as her lips moved against his throat, "What time is it?"

She felt Michael move his arm against her back to glance at his watch, "5.24", he uttered with a sigh. Nikita tightened her arms around him for a bit and squeezed her eyes shut, trying for just a second to shut out the world before she pulled herself together and sat back enough to be able to look Michael in the eye and gift him with a small smile. She found his lips with hers and kissed him good morning. A slow and sedate kiss, that told him she loved him without words.

Michael's breath shuddered out of him as he kissed her back, the feel of her naked back underneath his hands as she was pressed against him, presenting a temptation he couldn't indulge in. But oh, did he want to. His arms full of his warm and naked love, their kiss turning into something much more sensual, her fingers skimming over his sides underneath his jacket... It was enough to make a lesser man's resolve come crashing down. But he really didn't have a choice...

He reluctantly broke their kiss and buried his face in her neck, heaving a regretful sigh. "I have to go", he uttered softly. Nikita smiled despite herself and took pity on him. She pulled back a little, kissing his cheek and pulling up the sheet one-handedly, creating a sense of modesty as her other hand came up to cup his jaw. "Be careful", she told him softly and gently pecked his lips. Michael closed his eyes and rested his forehead against hers for a moment, the tips of their noses lightly touching. "You too", he finally replied and then he kissed her tenderly one last time before getting up and leaving her and their little sanctuary for now.