Set between 2x18 "Power" and 2x19 "Wrath". Birkhoff and Sean change oil together.

Sean didn't intend to stay at the rogues' safehouse for long. He was just going to return a combat knife he had borrowed, then head back to his place. There were probably some work or family things he had to make up for after spending so much time in Greece with Alex's mother. However, as he dropped off the knife in the seemingly empty house, he received a text from Alex. Although she had received the alert that he had entered the safehouse, she obviously wasn't there. If she was, she wouldn't have instructed, "Sean! Tell me what cupcake you want, then ask Nikita for her order. She got sucked into the paperwork void and isn't answering me."

"Nikita!" Sighing, Sean replied to Alex and went in search of Nikita. He hadn't heard her- or anyone- since he had entered. But if she was absorbed in paperwork like her best friend had claimed, then that'd explain why. Sean had no idea what kind of paperwork a rogue even did, probably intel she was analyzing. But whatever it was, she didn't respond to his calls. He eventually found her files scattered on the coffee table in the livingroom, yet there was no sight of her. He wasn't sure if he should be alarmed by that or not.

He kept exploring, hoping to find her soon. Sean didn't want to leave Alex hanging as she ordered food at the bakery; though, he was sure she'd just pick what she thought Nikita would like after a while. Knowing what cupcake she wanted wasn't that detrimental. However, the Seal still went in search of the rogue, simply to know where she could've gone. He soon stumbled into the expansive garage where he finally found another person. It was only Birkhoff, yet at least that was someone, "Have you seen Nikita?"

"Is she not in the livingroom?" Setting down his phone, Birkhoff wondered. After receiving his cupcake order, Alex had asked him to find Nikita for hers. The nerd was certain she was still reviewing things in the livingroom. But if the Seal couldn't find her, then she probably took off somewhere, "Huh. Maybe she went on a run. She never says anything before she goes out. Why? What's up?"

"Alex just wants her cupcake order. It's not that big of a deal," Sean shrugged. He wasn't going to waste his time and energy chasing down Nikita for a dessert order. Besides, Alex was her best friend; she could make an educated guess.

Moving back to what he was doing, Birkhoff wondered why Alex was so hung up on their cupcake orders anyway. He thought she and Michael had just gone to the grocery store to restock their fridge. Maybe on the way she had swung by a bakery. But even that didn't make a lot of sense. She always complained the rogues didn't have healthy enough or filling enough foods, and Michael agreed. However, they were stopping to buy them dessert. It hardly made sense, "What's the point of only Michael and Alex grocery shopping anyway?"

"She has the most money, and he has the most responsibility," It was a simple answer. Sean didn't have to know the team long to figure that out. Alex was the heiress willing to help the team of rogues. And Michael didn't go shopping based on his stomach. Birkhoff really couldn't argue. He shrugged, and returned to his project. Sean turned to leave, but what the hacker was doing caught his attention. He began to fiddle with something under one of the cars' hoods. It was probably something mundane. Except, Sean never knew the team to be normal. Birkhoff was potentially up to something either genius or stupid, "What are you up to?"

"Oil changes and car maintenance," Turned out it was neither. Birkhoff didn't have much to do that day, so he decided to take care of the team's vehicles. Registration tags and license plates should be rotated out so the authorities and Division didn't catch onto them. And the vehicles should be well taken care of so they didn't crap out on the rogues in the field. It wasn't the most pressing or exciting of work, but it still had to be done. Fortunately, Birkhoff liked the simpleness of it. He could work with his hands and with his brain turned off.

Sean turned to leave once more. But again, he became distracted by what was happening in the garage. There wouldn't be much waiting for him at his apartment. He was still on military leave, and his sisters believed he was on vacation. He didn't have to leave the safehouse. He could hang out and be of some use, "Want help?"

"Depends. Can you actually change a car's oil?" Birkhoff skeptically eyed Sean over. The Seal had been pretty handy on missions, providing backup and serving as a bodyguard. But could he be handy with technology too. The other Navy man on the team couldn't.

"Uh. Yeah," Sean had no idea why Birkhoff was questioning his help. Maybe, despite his efforts to help the rogues, Birkhoff still didn't trust him. The last time just the two of them had interacted, Sean kidnapped the hacker in the name of Division. That wasn't something that could be easily forgotten, even if it was forgiven.

"Then you're already more handy than Michael," Handing over a wrench, Birkhoff smirked. Although he typically liked working on his machines and tech alone, he wouldn't mind Sean's company. The two should get to know one another more. They were bona fide teammates then. What better way to connect than by fixing up cars and motorcycles in the garage together.

"That's the difference between a Seal and an intelligence officer. I'm a jock, he's a nerd," Accepting the offering, Sean quipped. He and Michael had already been back and forth with their Navy taunts. They flowed more easily the closer the two became. At first, it was difficult for Sean to comprehend how a decorated and loyal Naval officer turned rogue. But the more he found out about Division, and the more he knew about Michael, it all eventually made sense. After all, he soon went rogue as well.

Chuckling, Birkhoff was a little surprised by Sean's joke. He knew the Seal could tease Alex, but the two had known one another for a while (they also seemed to be friends, if not more than). Birkhoff didn't think Sean was close with any other team member. He probably felt more comfortable with them after everything they had been through together. Those stressful situations usually caused new partnerships to form. And so did silly ones- to an extent, "Where were when Nikki and Mikey were making fun of me? I could've used a partner."

"I can dish it out against Michael. Nikita kinda scares me," Sean admitted with a small shrug. It wasn't that he still thought Nikita would kill him and his entire family. He knew that wouldn't happen. However, the murderous glares he had seen her throw at Alex, Michael, and Birkhoff had him terrified. He absolutely did not want to be on the receiving end of that.

"When she's your enemy. But when she's your friend, she's a huge dork," Rolling his eyes, Birkhoff laughed. He understood Sean's aversion to Nikita's glare and the harsh things she could do. But she was just a goof around her friends. She had to share the love she had for them.

"Yeah. Alex is kinda the same," Sean mumbled, smiling to himself. Alex had definitely been a tough nut to crack. She was surrounded by nearly impenetrable Russian walls. Yet once those walls were scaled, she was soft and sweet and strikingly silly. It was well worth the effort getting to know her.

Birkhoff spotted the dopey smile on Sean's lips across the garage and over the hood of a car. The nerd had seen that look on Michael's face a billion and more times when it came to Nikita. He could recognize it anywhere, including on someone else's face. Sean liked Alex. He really liked Alex. No wonder Nikita didn't have to bully him into being Alex's bodyguard in Russia, "So you guys are just friends?"

"What else would we be?" Sean was too busy with the car to glance at Birkhoff. He believed if he did, he would know what the nerd was talking about. Instead, he was left stumbling around, confused at the implications.

"Just checking," Birkhoff dropped it. He could've pressed Sean for more- maybe even tease him and rile him up. But he had the suspicion that Sean didn't even know he'd be anything more than just friends with Alex. After his experience with Michael, Birkhoff wasn't going to force that revelation. It should just come naturally.

"Well, what's up between you and Sonya?" Since they were talking about the women in their lives, Sean saw it fit to mention Sonya. Although he hadn't personally seen how the two rival hackers interacted, he had heard enough from Alex. Birkhoff and Sonya more than just fought over keyboards and screens. The harsh words they hurled at one another were far too flirtatious and light to be real threats.

"What about it?" Birkhoff, however, didn't understand why Sean would mention Sonya. What did she have to do with friendships- or more than friendships. She was in Division, and he was a rogue. They were enemies, and they'd stay that way until Division burned.

Biting his tongue, Sean decided against saying anything. He and Birkhoff were having a nice time just hanging out and fixing cars. Talking about the women in their lives, or lack thereof, would've ruined it. They should simply switch to topics they actually knew anything about, "Will you hand me that wrench?"

The two changed the topic off of girls. Sean and Birkhoff talked about themselves instead. It turned out that they had a lot in common. Besides both knowing how to maintain vehicles, they had also both spent a lot of time in DC because of their families. Neither wanted to talk much about them, especially the strained relationship with their fathers. But there were other things they could discuss, like comic books and superhero movies. Sean liked superheroes just as much as the nerd. He was able to catch a lot of Birkhoff's references. With that discovery, the two men dissolved into trying to outsmart the other with obscure references.

Once the Seal and hacker finished changing oil and completed the other car maintenance things in the garage, they ventured back into the safehouse. They continued to laugh and joke. As did Alex and Michael from the kitchen. The two had returned while Sean and Birkhoff were busy, and they were putting the new groceries away. At the sight of the others, however, they paused. Whereas Michael was pleasantly surprised that Birkhoff and Sean got along so well, Alex was pissed. Sean never texted her back. He had left her hanging, "Dude. I asked you to talk to Nikita. What happened? Where is she?"

"I couldn't find her. She probably went on a run or did yoga on the beach or something," Quickly, Sean defended himself. Nikita never resurfaced while he and Birkhoff were in the garage. She must've still been out; Michael moved to check. It wasn't Sean's fault that he wasn't able to get a hold of her. Alex should be getting on Nikita for leaving without a word and not keeping her phone on her.

"Nikita's right here," Michael soon called from the livingroom. Nikita had never left her files on the coffee table. She simply slumped on top of them, dead asleep. Sean probably wasn't able to see her past the top of the couch. Michael would've missed her too had he not moved around the furniture.

"You couldn't have walked two feet?" Alex snarked. If Sean had just walked further into the livingroom like Michael had, he would've found Nikita. Granted, it was shocking that she had even fallen asleep. It wouldn't have crossed his mind to check even closer; though, what kind of Seal was he if he barely swept the room.

While Sean tried to defend himself to Alex, Michael gently woke Nikita. He swept her dark hair out of her face and caressed her cheek. She must've really been out of it if their voices hadn't already woken her. She really needed a restful night's sleep- not one ruined by stress, nightmares, or injuries. She could sleep peacefully that night, but only if she didn't nap in a weird position all day, "Hey, sleepy baby. Have a nice nap?"

"Whattimeisit?" Snapping upright, Nikita slurred. She rubbed her tired eyes and tried to orient herself. Her team didn't help as they cracked jokes and laughed. She groggily glared at them, but that only made it worse.

Michael soon took pity on his girlfriend. He told her the time and helped her to her feet. For a brief second, she sleepily listed into his warmth and rested against him. Then, she woke up, pulled away, and flipped off a jeering Alex. The young woman's bright laughter helped Nikita relax. She chuckled quietly and prepared a quip to throw at Sean, adding to all the taunts. But Birkhoff joined her by the coffee table and ruined it. He had simply wanted to see what she had been doing, yet he was instantly distracted by the empty energy drink can on the table. Nikita had stolen his drink and chugged it all, "Hey! These are mine."

"Yeah. And they suck," Stifling a yawn, Nikita bit. When she had first felt the effects of her exhaustion, she stole an energy drink from the fridge. She thought it would help her get through some intel gathering. Instead, she fell asleep faster.

"Here. Have a sugar rush. Sorry I didn't know what kind you wanted," As Alex moved to pass out the cupcakes she had bought for everybody (Nikita happily ate hers, not caring what flavor it was), she threw a teasing glare at Sean. He threw one back; two could play at that game.

"You're welcome for the oil changes," Sean snarked. He didn't explain what he and Birkhoff had been doing in the garage. That could be shared later, preferably after he sassed Alex. He didn't want his teases to be undermined by his kind service.

"Whatever," Alex rolled her eyes. Before Sean could say anything else, she shoved his cupcake in his face and walked away. Despite the frosting dripping down his nose, Sean laughed and chased after Alex. Michael, Nikita, and Birkhoff were left rooted in the livingroom, confused and a bit concerned. But as the Seal's and young woman's laughter rose through the safehouse, they started to laugh as well.