"A Moment In Time"
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters; those belong to their original creators. The way it's all stringed together is of my making. No profit is being made out of this (*sigh* unfortunately).
Fandom(s): Nikita
Character(s): Nikita and Michael (mainly) with mentions of Birkhoff and two guest stars
Pairing: Nikita/Michael
Rating: T
Words: 789 words
Requested By: Enx2103
Challenge/Summary: Nikita/Michael (when they are on the same side)…with pumpkins.
Inspiration: 2x05 ("Looking Glass") deals with Michael's past mission...I figured I'd work with that.
Spoiler(s): up to (but not including) episode 2x05 ("Looking Glass")
Time Frame: Around Halloween.
A/N: At the end to avoid additional spoilers.
*Nikita*Nikita*Nikita*Nikita*Nikita*
"Bashing Through It"
He knows he shouldn't be feeling like this. Everything was finally going according to plan…he should be pleased yet he wasn't.
And it was all because of the stupid orange object that he almost tripped over at the bottom of the stairs.
A pumpkin.
He groaned at what a pumpkin signified and it was definitely confirmed when he came across a lot more of them on his way to the kitchen (he was in some desperate need for some coffee now).
Halloween.
He ran a frustrated hand through his hair as his mood darkened by that one word.
He didn't always hate Halloween, in face he loved it…but so did his four year old daughter. Every year they would get so into the holiday that it would drive his wife crazy. She'd always let it slide though due to the smiles that occupied the father/daughter duo.
He missed those moments.
Now he despised the holiday as every aspect of it brought back memories of his late wife and daughter, memories that had his heart ripping in two every time.
He avoided trick-or-treaters due to the constant reminders of his little girl.
He avoided costumes because they reminded him of the costume parties he went to with his wife…it was one of thing she loved about Halloween; getting him to dress up in ridiculous looking costumes.
Pumpkins were the worst as the idea of carving or baking them brought memories that involved both of his girls.
He missed his girls so much.
*Nikita*Nikita*Nikita*Nikita*Nikita*
Michael finally arrived into the kitchen, where he found Nikita rummaging through a few of Birkhoff's cupboards for something. They were still staying with the ex-Division computer hacker.
He sighed.
Nikita.
He should be happy with where he was as he finally had Nikita after all these years. He could finally be with her as he was free from Division but he wasn't, not at this moment at least.
He blamed the multiply pumpkins. Their presence is what started the memories up again for him in the first place.
"Hey." He snapped out of his thoughts when he heard her voice just before he felt her arms wrap around his waist. He hesitated a bit before he hugged her back, hoping that she wouldn't notice but she did. "You okay?" She questioned as she pulled out of his arms a bit, a concerned expression plastered on her face.
He blew out a breath, not sure which answer he should give her. He decided on the truth. "I'm not sure."
Her eyes softened a bit before she took his hand in hers and dragged him towards the back door. "Maybe this will cheer you up."
"What will cheer…me up?" He trailed off with an incredulous look on his face as he took in the sight of ten or so pumpkins lined up a few feet into Birkhoff's backyard.
How is that going to cheer me up? He mused to himself before he turned to face her with a questioning look. He didn't get much of an answer but when she moved her other hand out from behind her back, it was then that he finally noticed that she was holding something and not just any something…she was holding a wooden baseball bat.
He took the proffered bat after some hesitance before they approached the first pumpkin. He watched as she took a few steps back, giving him room and he couldn't help but wonder about how much she truly knew about the situation. Either way, she thought he needed to do this so he'd give it a try at least…it wouldn't hurt to give it a try right?
With a reassuring nod of her head, he turned his attention back to the pumpkin before he took his first swing at the offending vegetable. That swing was all it took before he took all his anger and repressed pain out on the blasted vegetable.
Once the first pumpkin was smashed to pieces, he walked over to her and placed a feather-like kiss to her temple as he whispered his thanks to her.
She had been right. He needed that and it was an action long overdue in his opinion.
He had spent the last decade avoiding his past as best he could; to avoid the pain that accompanied those memories.
But it was with that first swing that he realized that he could hand his past…as long as he had Nikita by his side, he could handle it.
And who knows…maybe someday he could look at a pumpkin and not feel all the negative emotions he's recently associated with the vegetable.
But until that day comes, he's going to enjoy bashing in the rest of those pumpkins with Nikita.
*Nikita*Nikita*Nikita*Nikita*Nikita*
A/N #1: I don't know why I could let it be some fluffy piece of Michael/Nikita baking a pumpkin pie or carving one or being out in the field picking them but they are trained assassins with baggage and I figured I'd work with that and I got this.
Backstory: Well it's clear about Michael's side of things but I had it in my mind that Nikita got the gist of Michael's hatred for pumpkins from Birkhoff (all he had to do was bring up that his late family loved Halloween and that would be enough of an answer for Nikita).
A/N #2: I also want to say thank you to all the readers for this 'story' and a special thanks to Enx2103 and Ghostwriter for leaving me a review. It truly means a lot to me that you guys (and whoever read this yet didn't review) are giving this a shot so thank you!
Coming Up Next: Vampire Diaries (Challenge) *changed*
Originally Published: Oct. 25, 2011
Edited: Oct. 27, 2011