Set after 3x02 "Innocence". Just wish there were more fun moments between the team in season 3 before all that hell and drama broke out.
"Did you just slap me?" Nikita pulled back from Alex in shock.
The two had been sparring in the old gym in Division, music blasting over the speakers as they trained and joked around. At some point, Nikita got Alex into a hold that she couldn't break. Rather than admit defeat and tap out, Alex reached around and struck on instinct. Nikita recoiled in shock and let her go. The two stared at one another for a moment, bewildered and slightly amused. Slapping someone was definitely one way to get ahead in a fight. It was certainly unexpected.
"I didn't know how else to break the hold," Alex admitted sheepishly. She honestly couldn't think of any other way to get Nikita to let go of her. In a real fight, that would've been when she'd break a bone or get knocked unconscious. She had to start figuring out how to escape the position so it'd never happen again. Nothing came to mind besides slapping Nikita. It wasn't the best, but it was surprisingly effective.
"Clearly," Nikita chuckled. She should probably start teaching Alex how to escape the hold so her arm wouldn't keep getting broken on missions. However, that thought didn't cross her mind at the moment. Instead, Nikita smirked and commented on how Alex had spent her summer after recovering from her latest broken arm, "Did all that time in Greece with your mom and your boyfriend make you forget your training? Too good living in paradise?"
Alex glared at her best friend, unamused. Yes, spending time with her mother on an island paradise in Greece was amazing, especially with Sean there (though, he had mostly tagged along to fulfill his bodyguard role). But, she didn't appreciate Nikita taunting her about it- more specifically, about her not so strictly defined relationship status with Sean. Alex swore she had heard enough jokes about it from Birkhoff when she and Sean had flown from Greece to Hong Kong. She didn't have the patience for any more, "I'm gonna slap you again."
"Don't slap people, Alex. You were trained better than that," Stepping off the elevator, Michael chided. Nikita laughed and reached for a tablet to turn down the music. Alex rolled her eyes. She was going to throw out a sarcastic comment in response, yet Michael continued. He was nowhere near poking fun of what he had overheard, "Or did all that time in Greece with your mom and your boyfriend make you forget your training?"
Whereas Nikita burst into laughter, Alex gaped at Michael in shock. There was no way he had heard his fiancée when she had made that quip. The elevator hadn't even stopped on their floor yet. He just somehow managed to say the exact same joke the exact same way. Nikita thought it was hilarious. Alex, on the other hand, was increasingly annoyed. She had liked Michael better when he was simply her handler. Since he was her best friend's fiancé, and her friend, he was a lot more sarcastic, "I'm beginning to think those agents were right: Nikita has corrupted you, Michael."
Nikita doubled over in her laughter while Michael glared at Alex. Birkhoff, who had also stepped off the elevator but had been too engrossed in his tablet to engage in the conversation, snapped his head up. He would take any opportunity to tease Michael and Nikita, especially after they had gotten engaged without telling him. He wasn't going to let them get away with that. They had to pay for excluding their best friend in one of the best moments in their lives. After all, he deserved some reward for putting up with them in multiple safehouses, "At least he hasn't started biting people. Then you know her feral instincts are rubbing off on him."
"I don't bite people," Nikita stopped laughing. She'd admit that her fighting style was not conventional, and she'd admit that she fought dirty. But she didn't bite people. She wasn't that crazy in the field.
"What about that guard?" Birkhoff recalled. He knew not to go into detail about that incident; Nikita definitely wasn't the same person as she had been when that had happened. However, he still had to remind her of it. She was still capable of those actions.
Ducking her head and tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear, Nikita didn't have anything to say in response. She could just mutter that she had changed and that she never wanted to be that person again, "Anymore."
"Liar," Alex had no idea what Birkhoff was talking about. However, based on Nikita's reaction, she knew she had to lighten the mood. Referencing a rumor she had once heard seemed like the best option. It drew both Michael and Nikita's attention, after all. And, it made Birkhoff burst out into laughter.
"For the last time, I did not bite that Gogol agent," Nikita huffed and shoved at Alex. She had absolutely no idea how that rumor got started, yet she hated it. There had been so many cool fighting moves she had pulled off in the field, yet no one talked about them. They were, instead, focused on painting her as some kind of unstable villain. Although that did make her greatly feared, which she admittedly liked, it also made her look insane. She didn't want to be insane. She just wanted to be awesome.
"That's not the story I heard," Alex smirked. She didn't honestly believe the rumor. Though, that wasn't why she kept bringing it up. Every single time she mentioned it, Nikita got pissed. Her reaction made the strange rumor far better than what it was.
"So you're gonna believe Gogol over me?" Bewildered, Nikita asked. How could Alex ever believe Gogol. She knew better than to listen to crazy tales about the enemy. When she had been a mole inside Division, she always rolled her eyes at what the recruits would whisper about Nikita. It was all just crazy speculation. Believing it was to be insane.
"I didn't hear it from Gogol," Alex finally shoved Nikita back. She also had no idea how the rumor got started. But she did know who spread it. And if Nikita knew, she'd kick their ass. Alex had to protect them somehow. Being vague wasn't the best way to do that. However, it would make Nikita confused enough to pause the conversation, and in that pause, someone would change the topic.
Rolling his eyes, Michael soon realized that the rumor discussion was going to go nowhere. It was better to shift focus than to have everyone talk in circles. So while Birkhoff continued to laugh, Alex continued to smirk, and Nikita continued to stew over the false story, Michael recalled a true fact about someone biting others, "Alex, I don't know why you're so hung up about this when you bit people in prison."
Once again, Alex glanced at Michael incredulously while Nikita laughed. Birkhoff continued his uproarious laughter at the women's expense, eventually managing to spit out, "Why are you guys biting people?"
"Nikita said I had to get Division's attention. So why not be feral? It worked for her," Nodding towards Nikita, Alex attempted to defend herself. Killing that future Division target hadn't been enough to get her recruited. She had to act up in prison to cement the idea. Nikita had mentioned that she had been a terror in prison, and that was why Division had grabbed her (well that and Carla's fingerprint, but she hadn't discovered that until recently). So Alex had then thought she should be an absolute menace to her cellmates and the guards. Biting had just seemed like a part of that deal.
"You really did teach Alex everything you know," Birkhoff quipped. Everytime he learned more about how Nikita had trained Alex to infiltrate Division, the more it seemed obvious that she had been the mole. Division really shouldn't have been as clueless as they were. Alex and Nikita were spitting images of each other as recruits. That hadn't just been a coincidence (that Birkhoff admittedly thought Michael was insane for seeing at the time); it had been done on purpose.
"Stop telling people I'm feral," Nikita was beginning to think that Birkhoff had told Alex the Gogol biting rumor, but she had no proof. At least not then. A few more minutes of glaring, and maybe a punch or two, and he'd fess up to his crimes.
"Make me," Without thinking, Birkhoff dared. Nikita instantly smirked and stalked closer to him. He tried to run away, but it was too late. She already had a plan to fuck him up, and there was no stopping her, "No, wait!"
Michael had the foresight to take the tablet out of Birkhoff's hands. As he did, Nikita performed one of her fancy, flying takedowns. She had the hacker shoved against the mat in no time. Yet she didn't get off him immediately. She wrenched back his arm in a similar hold she had had Alex in earlier, causing him to repeatedly tap the mat and call out, "Uncle. Uncle!"
"Why do people say 'uncle' when they yield?" Not moving to help, Alex wondered. Birkhoff was fine; Nikita wasn't actually going to hurt him. Besides, the hacker also complained that he wanted more field training; his boxing sessions with Michael weren't enough. What better way to teach him, then to just throw him right into the chaos.
"Nikita, your phone," Hearing his fiancée's phone chime in her bag, Michael called. Nikita made no move to let go of Birkhoff. She and Alex were too busy taunting the nerd while he had to lay there and take it. Sighing, Michael rolled his eyes and moved to answer the phone for her, "I got it."
The message on Nikita's phone was simply an alert, not a text. Her engagement ring was finished being resized at the jewelers, and she could go pick it up. Smiling brightly, Michael excitedly showed the alert to Nikita, "Hey, your ring's ready."
Although Nikita was excited to wear her engagement ring again and to keep it on her finger forever, the thought of going back to the jewelers made her groan. She finally let go of Birkhoff and flopped onto the ground. Grateful for the chance to escape, the hacker scurried away from her. He didn't even care to figure out what her reaction was about; he just had to get away- far away. Alex, on the other hand, neared Nikita, poked her side with her foot, and snarked, "Don't get too excited."
Nikita groaned again. There was a chance she was being too dramatic. Yet after the mission they had recently had, she didn't want to talk about kids for a very long time. Seeing the woman at the jewelers again, however, would change that, "I don't want to talk to that lady again. Michael, you go get it."
"You have to try it on to make sure they sized it right," A part of Michael did sympathize with his fiancée. She had told him what had happened when she had dropped off the ring, and he did have to admit that it was weird. However, she had to be the one to pick up her ring. He, apparently, had no idea what her ring size was. If Nikita wanted to make sure it didn't slide off her finger, she had to go and try it on.
"Why do I have to suffer because you don't know my ring size?" Nikita continued to complain. She knew she couldn't blame Michael for that, though. She didn't have any rings he could look at to accurately know her size. And she hadn't been entirely certain of her size herself until she put on her engagement ring.
"I tried to ask you, but you kept saying that you prefer bracelets, necklaces, and earrings," Michael recalled with a soft chuckle. One night, he had tried to pry information about rings from Nikita. However, she was not forthcoming. She kept insisting that she liked other jewelry besides rings; if he was going to get her anything, it should be one of those. He had wanted to keep the proposal a surprise, so he hadn't pushed the issue. Also, the ring he had eventually chosen on his own was perfect. The only problem was the sizing, and that was an easy fix (even with a pushy old woman).
"I thought you were buying me a gift, not an engagement ring," Propping herself up on her elbows, Nikita defended. If she had known what Michael had planned to do, she absolutely would have answered his questions. Though, he had done perfectly on his own. So maybe it was for the best that she had had no idea.
"Even though you guys had been talking about marriage? I thought you were smarter than that," Alex giggled. She was surprised that Nikita had had no idea that Michael had planned to propose. She knew the two had talked about marriage now that pardons were on their way. But, despite all the things the former rogue had noticed and pieced together, that had remained a mystery. What could've Nikita been possibly thinking that she had missed all those clues. Either Michael was a far better spy than Alex had previously thought, or Nikita really was oblivious when it came to him.
"Hey, Alex. Maybe it's time for another shot," Nikita fired back. She had heard countless times how Sean had tried to tell Alex he had wanted to kiss her again but she had thought he wanted more pain meds. The young woman was far more oblivious in her love life than Nikita. At least the former rogue finally figured it out.
As Michael and Birkhoff snickered, Alex glared at her best friend. Nikita simply smirked. Alex couldn't think of a way to immediately get back at her. So, in the meantime, she said, "You know, I was gonna get your ring for you. But not after that."
Nikita once again collapsed on the mat with a groan. His curiosity over what the others were talking about finally drew Birkhoff back to the group. He would risk getting tackled again if he meant he could understand what was going on. After all, once he understood, he knew could start teasing somebody. With his lack of fighting abilities, that was one of his best ways to retaliate, "What did this lady say to you?"
"Nothing. She was just weird about marriage and babies," Nikita sighed, resigning herself to her fate. She just had to suck it up and face the jeweler again. Hopefully, she wouldn't be there, or she wouldn't try to make any more comments. Nikita wasn't that lucky, though. She should start preparing herself and holding back her tongue then as she got to her feet.
"Tell her your life story. That'll shut her up," Birkhoff sarcastically suggested. If the pushy woman knew the truth of where Nikita came from, she'd never talk to the former rogue again. She also might call the cops. But that was a risk Birkhoff knew Nikita was willing to take.
"Oh yeah. Tell a stranger but not your best friend," Crossing her arms, Alex huffed. She was mostly building off of Birkhoff's fake suggestion. Though, a part of her was upset that Nikita still hadn't told her a lot about her life. Knowing the things she did, it made sense why Nikita didn't want to delve so deeply into her past. Yet Alex still wanted to know more. Or at least receive serious answers to her questions.
"Are you still mad that I won't tell you Michael's last name?" Nikita scoffed. When Alex had asked at the jewelers a few days ago, Nikita had only given her a joke answer before they rushed off on Division's latest mission. She would've given her a serious reply eventually. But the way Alex kept asking for it when she didn't answer immediately made Nikita want to torture her with the information. It was more fun that way.
"You don't know my last name?" Chuckling, Michael questioned. He had thought his full name would've been one of the first things Nikita had told Alex about him. Even if she hadn't, after years of knowing him, Alex should've learned it. The fact that she hadn't was odd, and kind of funny. A part of Michael wanted to keep her in the dark.
Rolling her eyes, Alex tried to ignore the others' laughter. If Sean had been there, he would've told her Michael's last name; he had to have known it since he had been assigned to hunt the rogues down. Unfortunately, Sean was busy with the Seals. Alex was left on her own to deal with her annoying friends, "I keep telling you guys. Nikita didn't tell me jack shit about Michael before I joined Division."
"I thought I said his last name was Poopy-Pants," Nikita giggled, recalling one of the fake last names she had rattled off after the jewelers. Michael wasn't appreciative of the joke. Yet Birkhoff was. His shiteating grin nearly eclipsed his laughter.
"Mr. and Mrs. Poopy-Pants. Seems fitting," Staying away from Nikita, Birkhoff quipped. Turned out, she didn't have to be the one he had to worry about, however. Michael quickly had him in a headlock and gave him a noogie. Nikita and Alex only laughed at the hacker as he struggled to escape yet another hold.
"If it makes you feel better, Alex. Nikita didn't tell me anything about Michael either. I had to learn his last name from Division's files," As he walked past the four in the gym, Ryan decided to butt in on what he had overheard. It earned him an eye roll from Nikita, yet Alex was appreciative of the fact- glad that she wasn't the only one who had been weirdly kept out of the loop. She was even more glad, though, when Ryan soon told her what she had been wondering for years, "It's Bishop, by the way."
"Thank you!" Alex shouted in relief. Ryan simply waved as he continued on his way. She wasn't that surprised that she had to discover Michael's last name from an outside source (she was about to text Sean and ask him) but she still didn't like the fact. What was with Michael and Nikita keeping secrets from everybody. They obviously trusted the team; they considered them their family. So why did they never talk to them about anything.
Letting go of Birkhoff, Michael stared at his fiancée in confusion. He couldn't comprehend why Nikita hadn't told anyone about him. He had been the head of agents in Division while she had been rogue. Her allies should've known about him. It wasn't as though she didn't have anything to tell them. She knew him better than anyone in the whole world. So why had she kept him a secret- why not tell everyone everything she knew about him, "Why didn't you talk about me?"
"I don't know…" Nikita shrugged. A part of her did know why she had never been able to open up about Michael. Yet she didn't really want to explore it while in the old Division gym, surrounded by Alex and Birkhoff. So in its place, she quoted something she had once read in a book, "What's that quote? 'If I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more'."
Ignoring Alex's and Birkhoff's playful disgust at the romantic sentiment, Michael smiled softly at his fiancée. He reached for her hand, and finally agreed to her suggestion from earlier, "I'll go get your ring. Give me the ticket."
"She's playing you, Michael," As Nikita excitedly and gratefully kissed her fiancé and dug in her bag for her claim ticket, Birkhoff and Alex joked. The two continued to be ignored. They were used to that, though. The whole world always melted away when the engaged couple looked at each other like that. Their friends could never penetrate that bubble.
Eventually, Michael pulled away from Nikita to go pick up her engagement ring. After a beat, Birkhoff decided to follow. A trip to the city was better than what he had been doing on the tablet, "Wait. I'm going with. I gotta see what ring was worth beating cops up over."
"You're acting like that didn't make me want him more," Nikita winked at her fiancé. She could tell that he wanted to roll his eyes at her remark, yet he was too busy smiling at the memory of how she had kissed him when they had gotten engaged. She easily copied his grin.
"We also still gotta talk about our trust issues," Ignoring the couple, Birkhoff reminded Michael of the conversation they never got to finish. He didn't want to be excluded from any more major developments. Michael- and Nikita- had to loop him in.
Whereas Alex contemplated what Birkhoff meant, Nikita understood what he was miffed about. Michael had told her about his conversation with the hacker- mostly about how he had automatically assumed he was the best man. Nikita had then told Michael that he needed to ask Birkhoff to fulfill that role before the nerd's head exploded. Apparently, her fiancé hadn't followed her order. He continued to torture their friend, making her roll her eyes, "You still haven't asked him to be your best man? I already asked Alex to be my maid of honor."
"And I was honored to accept the proposal," Alex beamed. The day after Michael had proposed to Nikita at the fountain, the two women had gone to lunch, and Nikita had told her best friend everything. She had also asked her to be her maid of honor at the eventual wedding. Of course Alex had accepted.
"See, this is what I keep talking about, man," Birkhoff whined as he continued to follow Michael. So much had occurred involving Michael and Nikita's engagement, and he was still the last to know. That so wasn't fair. Birkhoff had lived with the couple for a year and had dealt with their shenanigans and dramas for even longer. He deserved some kind of reparation.
"Birkhoff, shut up. You already are my best man," Jabbing the button for the elevator, Michael sighed. He and Nikita hadn't set a date yet, or talked about their wedding at all, so appointing the best man and the maid of honor seemed pointless- especially since it was obvious who they would be. But torturing Birkhoff about the whole thing had lost its fun (who knew he could whine that much). Michael had to cave.
"Yes. Thank you," Relieved, Birkhoff stepped onto the elevator. Since that was out of the way, he could then help the engaged couple focus on finally getting married. He knew somebody had to push them past their cleanup duty and towards the altar. And he was the best person for the job, "Now, as I said, I'm the best with the planning phase, and I've already got some great ideas for your wedding."
"You say 'no' to everything he says!" Nikita shouted at her fiancé as the elevator doors closed. Although she had no ideas for her wedding, she knew that Birkhoff could not be involved in the planning process. He was bound to suggest something stupid that absolutely could not come to fruition- like him DJing the reception.
Chuckling, Alex cast one more confused glance at Nikita. With everything that was going on, she thought the bride-to-be would've wanted help planning her wedding. After all, she and Michael shouldn't just elope and not celebrate their big day. They deserved a fancy and romantic wedding with all of their friends and family. Help was definitely needed to pull that off, even unwanted help like from Birkhoff, "I thought you didn't have anything planned yet."
"We don't. But that doesn't mean I want Birkhoff's input," Nikita shuddered at the thought. She and Michael had decided to wait on any wedding stuff until they were free from Division. Their focus should remain on cleaning the place up and securing their freedoms. Their friend's focus should be on that as well. So before Alex could make another comment about wedding planning, Nikita offered to continue sparring with her, "Come on. Let me teach you how to break that hold I had you in."
"Finally," Alex exclaimed. She turned the music back up and prepared to finally learn how to stop getting her arm broken. Hopefully, by the end of the lesson, she could also force Nikita onto the mat. She'd truly feel successful if she could.
"I can also teach you how to move things along with Sean, Agent Pierce," Recalling the alias Alex had used on the recent mission, Nikita teased. She hadn't been focused enough on it during all the chaos to tease her best friend for the choice. But since things had died down, and since the new Division seemed to be on the right track to fulfill their mission in cleaning up and shutting down, Nikita could taunt Alex all she wanted.
"Oh, it's going down, Mrs. Poopy-Pants," Alex swore. For a while, the two women were too full of laughter and jokes to truly spar. Yet they didn't care. It wasn't as though there was anything pressing for them to worry about. They had bright, happy things in their future.
