Note: Thanks everyone for the support! This will most likely be the longest fic yet. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter and have a fantastic weekend!
Nikita and Michael went into the kitchen. Owen and Birkhoff watched television in the living room.
"We covered a lot tonight." she placed Owen's plate and Birkhoff's spoon in the sink and turned on the water.
Leaning his back against the counter, Michael answered, "Until we get the intel on the black boxes."
"I know but that's for another day.." She washed the plate and spoon.
He picked up the small towel and dried the utensils as she handed them to him, "I still think Alex should get out of Division."
"Michael, we've already talked about this."
"Nikita, I can handle Percy and Amanda." His tone was adamant.
"Alex would be the second agent under your watch to escape. Don't try to tell me that they wouldn't punish you," her arms went around his neck as his circled her waist.
He tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear, "I've already lost people in my life."
"Neither of us can afford to lose anymore. This isn't ideal but it'll have to do."
His stare briefly fell, "It shouldn't.."
She kissed his lips hoping to comfort him.
"That makes it a little bit better," he grinned.
A small smirk was on her lips, "You and the nerd have to work tomorrow morning. And Owen and I need some sleep."
The dissatisfaction on his face and in his voice was obvious, "He's staying here?"
"He has nowhere else to go."
"He's never heard of a motel?"
"Don't you trust me?"
He sighed, "It's not you, it's him."
"Owen is still mourning Emily.."
"You're the only woman around him.."
"And you're the only man I want to be with," she stroked his face.
He nodded but couldn't help himself, "You wouldn't happen to have a spare chastity belt around here?"
A little laugh left her lips, "I'll make sure to stop by that aisle the next time I'm at Bed, Bath and Beyond."
With a straight face he said, "Your best bet is Beyond."
Smiling, she told him, "It's nice to see that your sense of humor is back."
Instead answering her, he captured her mouth with his holding her body closer to him.
Birkhoff spoke as he opened the kitchen's swinging door, "Michael we gotta go-oh come on."
They stopped kissing but didn't let go of one another.
"Niki, you should seriously consider getting this invention that keeps doors closed, it's called a lock."
She retorted, "Nice suggestion nerd, I'll make sure to get one..for your mouth."
He scowled then smirked, "I missed this."
They silently agreed with him.
After Michael and Birkhoff had left, Nikita retrieved her laundry from the dryer and began folding and hanging her clothes as Owen returned from the bathroom.
"After I finish it's lights out," she told him.
"Fine by me," he got underneath the covers of the twin bed.
As she placed one last pair of socks in the drawer she noticed him staring at her, "What?"
"I didn't say anything."
"You want to."
He turned onto his side facing his body towards her, "You, Michael and Birkhoff..is that how it's like for agents? You become..close?"
The curiosity in his question was unexpected, she sat down her bed before answering him, "We're an exception. Michael trained me. And Percy said that we worked well together. It was also cheaper to send the three of us on missions instead of a whole team. It was impossible for us not to…bond during that time."
A small nod came from him, "As a recruit I didn't become friends with anyone. Amanda thought that made me the perfect cleaner, I didn't get attached."
His words made her grasp how lonely his life was and how much Emily had meant to him. The last person she imagined empathizing with was Daniel's killer yet, she wasn't bothered by it like she had expected.
Seeing the hint of pity in her eyes made him uncomfortable, he spoke again, "Birkhoff isn't too bad. His ego is annoying, a part of me wants to punch him but not too hard."
Her grin was wide, "That's a natural and universal reaction."
A low scoff came from him, "I figured."
Sensing where the conversation was going she said, "Michael didn't mean what he said..he's always been protective of me."
"I saw…" His blue eyes tried to read her expression.
"He was in the navy before joining Division."
"Is that you're way of telling me that I was wrong?"
She shook her head, "Misinformed, my fault."
After a moment he asked, "You asked me if he was involved with Daniel's death. What was I suppose to think?"
Her eyes went to the floor before returning to him, "I knew that he wasn't but I wanted to be sure…"
"Why?"
"If he had him killed, then taking Division with him on their side..it wouldn't be as hard."
He gave her an understanding nod.
"Goodnight Owen." She got onto her back and pulled the blanket over her.
"Night," he turned away from her realizing that she was first woman to sleep near him since Emily. As he fell asleep he pretended that the sound of her breathing belonged to his lost love.
Since leaving Division's headquarters Thom and Alex had barely spoken a word to each other until they took their seats on the plane.
"Nikita's already there." Thom kept his stare at the window.
She nodded, "She always is.."
He finally looked at her, "Was it all a lie?"
Seeing the how hurt he was pained her but she refused to lie to him any longer, "Not all of it."
A slow exhale came from him, "Why didn't you just tell me Alex? I would've understood. You didn't have to use me."
Her head tipped down, "I thought I didn't have any other choice."
"Well you did! And you just didn't care to find out."
Offended, she folded her arms, "Before Nikita came into my life I couldn't trust anyone! People used me like I was nothing. And you-you…" she turned her gaze away from him feeling the tears in her eyes.
"What?" When he didn't receive a response he reached out and held her forearm.
His touch encouraged her to open up and she unfolded her arms, "Other than Nikita, you were the first person to care about me without wanting anything in return."
The sincerity in her words moved him; he took her hand in his.
"Division killed my parents, they destroyed my life. I'll do anything to make them pay."
"I understand that.."
Her head shook, "It's not simple, they also..if it wasn't for them, I wouldn't have met you. But they also gave you a reason to live, a purpose. And you're so grateful for it. How could I ever compete with that?"
It was then he realized how difficult her life had been because of Division. He looked into her blue eyes trying to find the right words to say.
When he didn't speak, she took the lead, "The more I got to know you..it became harder. All I could think of was my family because they were all I had…but that doesn't mean that what I feel for you is a lie. It's the only thing in my life that's real," she felt her voice shake.
"Alex..what you said about Division, it's almost true."
"Almost?" She asked sounding and looking confused.
"Division was my life because they gave me one and I would've done anything for them. That all changed because of you." He held the side of her face stroking her cheekbone with his thumb.
She reached up and placed her hand on top of his.
He moved his face closer to hers, "I saw recruits crumble within weeks, sometimes even days but..you..you thrived. You're fearless, that's what makes me want you more than anything else in this world."
"Why?"
"I can't even imagine the hell you've been through but you're still standing and you didn't just survive, you became stronger. You're a warrior and that's who I fell for and love."
Touched by his words brought his face to hers giving them their real first kiss.
His hands gently gripped the back of her head as he deepened the kiss.
The flight attendant walked up next to them with her cart but decided leave them alone. She grinned and shook her head, "Newlyweds."